R&R please!! Oh, and sorry about the long wait...

Let me pretend

The next day, when Thor asked, I came out reluctantly. I knew that the looks I would receive would not be nice, so I readied myself. But, to my surprise, everyone smiled at me. I felt relieved.

Thor took me to see Third and Tiz, who were talking in Third's room. They stood up when he arrived, but their faces tightened when they saw me. "What is she doing here?" I heard Tiz hiss to Thor. Thor merely smiled. "She is my protector," he said simply. "She has to be here."

"You forgive her?" It was not a question. Third gave Thor an angry look. "She betrayed us!"

"Through no fault of her own," Thor asserted.

"Did she brainwash you or something, Thor?" Tiz asked.

Thor looked at her. "Do I look brainwashed?" They shook their heads. "Good. Anyways, I came here because I wanted you to know that Zagi has asked me to meet him at the Dagger Pagoda, and I have agreed."

"I'll come!" Tiz cried.

"And I, too," I added, softly.

Third gave a grunt but said nothing. I looked over at him, and felt the tears prickle in my eyes.

…………………………

Thor raised a hand to us. We stopped. "I'll carry on from here," he said, then added, at Tiz's face, "Alone."

"But… but…" Tiz stuttered as Thor left. I leaned against a wall, crossed my arms under my white cloak and looked around. Tiz sighed and sat on the snow. She played with the end of her coat. Then, my gaze fell on where Thor had been walking earlier. I wonder, will he ever know how I feel for him?

"I didn't really think you'd betray us."

Tiz's voice startled me. I looked at her sharply. "Yet you still hated me."

"I didn't hate you." Tiz sighed. "I was just… surprised to see you and him… well… you know…"

"Kissing?" I shook my head. "He did that, not me."

"I know that now." There was a short silence between us. It was I who broke it. "Do you love Thor?" I asked.

She smiled dreamily. "Yes. He's so strong, and handsome, and smart…"

"I know," I said without thinking, then winced.

She looked at me. "What about you? Do you like him?"

I was tempted to spill out my feelings for him, but hesitated. If I said anything, everything could change for the better or worst. No one could tell the future. I can't lose Thor's trust again just as he gave it back to me.

Tiz was still staring expectantly at me, and I took a deep breath. "No, I have no feelings for him, except of those as a friend." I was blushing. I'm such a bad liar. Maybe she won't notice.

She raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you blushing?"

"It's cold," I replied. "Come on, he's been gone long enough. Let's go find out what they're talking about."

………………………

We hid behind a fallen pillar, listening.

"… sent here because I saw something I shouldn't." It was Zagi. He explained what he saw, and I could almost see it. Dozens of Jyu-Oh, each in a capsule. A little boy, walking in, and seeing those corpses. I shivered.

"How can I know to trust you?" Thor demanded. "You could be lying."

"How come you're still alive today?" Zagi returned. I shifted slightly, and the ice cracked. "Who's there?" Zagi asked. "I told you to come alone!"

"Tiz." Thor's voice sounded strained. "Come out." Tiz jumped out and ran to Thor. "Don't believe him, Thor! Don't!"

"Where's Zia?" he asked.

"Oh, so she came along, did she? Thought she would never have the nerve. Well, well." Zagi's voice was taunting. I tensed. Don't say anything, Tiz. If you do, I'll kill you, I swear.

"I left her at where you left us," Tiz replied. I sighed in relief. At least she didn't tell them that I was here!

A strong wind blew. "Let's go to the Night Ring and continue our discussion there, Thor," Zagi said.

"What?"

"I killed their leader some time ago, so their land is now mine," Zagi replied simply. "A blizzard is starting, and you won't want to freeze, do you?"

I followed them as they walked through the cliffs. Then, a small group of Night Ring soldiers popped up on the cliff ledge and cried, "Blanc Wolf of the Blanc Ring, you will die!" And they fired. I rushed forward, as if in slow motion, but Thor had thrown himself to push both Zagi and himself out of the way. I skidded to a stop and pulled out my gun. "Stop right there!"

"That's Ochre Ring's Top you're shooting at!" Tiz added.

They let out gasps of surprise, and then, a hooded figure leaped from the top of the cliff and shot something out his sleeve. The hood fell back, and I saw Karim. She expertly took down the soldiers and then, she leapt down to join us. "As you can see, my Second is just like your Second," Zagi explained to Thor. I looked at him. He was staring at Karim with his mouth slightly open. I nudged him quickly and he snapped his mouth shut. Karim's green eyes flicked over all of us. "Top," she said in greeting to Zagi.

"Karim," Zagi replied evenly before looking over to me. I glared back at him and he chuckled. "Come, before all of you freeze here." And he led us on to the Night Ring.

As we were walking, Tiz tripped over something. Thor stopped and turned back. "Tiz?"

"I tripped over… ahh!!" She screamed as she saw a hand on the ground.

"What's the matter? Never saw a corpse before?" Zagi taunted her. I wanted to kill him. Thor flashed me a warning look as he helped Tiz up. But even then, I could not hold back my tongue. "What about you? Never been ambushed before?" I shot right back. "I noticed that it took you a few seconds delay to move, and even then, Thor had to push you out of the way." Zagi smiled.

"Touchy, touchy," he mocked. "Thor, pick up your girlfriend and lets hurry on." With that, he turned and walked on, with Karim right behind him. Glowering, I waited for Thor and Tiz to move, and then only did I move.

Tiz, Thor and I were each separated. I was put into one cabin, alone, Tiz in another with Karim, and Thor with Zagi. I paced for a full three minutes, then went to Tiz's cabin, where she was looking out the window, all alone. From her dreamy expression, I knew that she was thinking of Thor.

"Stop thinking about him," I told her shortly, crossing my arms. "He's probably fallen for Blanc Ring's Second, Karim."

Tiz turned to me. "No! He wouldn't!" she cried.

Then, Thor came in before I could say anything. Tiz ran to him, and lowered her voice to talk to him. I didn't say anything. I caught snatches of the conversation. "… Zagi… not trusted… people… Don't… alliance… him… War… our independence…" I turned slightly, and saw them hugging. I turned away.

I ignored them until Thor called me over. I went over to them, and bowed slightly. "Yes, Top."

A flicker of annoyance showed on his face before he raised one eyebrow. "You never called me Top before I was one, guard."

"I am not any guard, Top," I informed him. "I am here to protect you."

He shook his head. "From now on, just call me Thor."

I raised an eyebrow. "Not very respectful to my Top, but I suppose I could."

Thor smiled as he went out again. I paced again. Then, minutes later, there was a scream. I jerked my head up, and ran out. "Zia! Where are you going?" Tiz called after me. I was surprised that she didn't hear it. It was so loud, it could have been next to me. Another scream, and some shouting. Then, a lone figure in a cloak ran out and past me. My eyes traveled to where another lone figure was, walking. He flipped back his hood and I saw that it was Thor. "Top – I mean, Thor," I said, hurrying to him. "What happened?"

He half-smiled at me. "Nothing." I didn't believe him, but I nodded, and we made our way to Tiz's cabin. A blast of wind hit me and I shivered. That blizzard was going to be big. It was. By the time we reached Tiz's cabin, ice was attacking us from all around, and men were everywhere. "Have you seen Second?" one of them shouted to us. I looked quickly at Thor. "No, why?" I asked.

"She's gone missing," another man shouted back. "A big blizzard is hitting us, and she's in danger!"

Thor jumped as though someone electrified him. "How long can one live in the blizzard?" he shouted to them.

"Half an hour!" the first man replied.

Thor nodded and broke into a run. I followed him. "Top! Are you crazy? Didn't you hear them? We have to get back!"

"Karim's missing, Zia," he said, stating the obvious. "I have to find her."

"Then at least pull up your hood!" He nodded and pulled it up, drawing it close to his chin to get warmth. We ran out the Night Ring, and then, we finally found her, lying in the snow. She was shivering, and her cloak was wet with snow. Thor was about to take his off when I took mine off. "Take mine. You're a greater need than me." I wrapped the cloak around the woman, and was about to pick her up when the ground cracked beneath me.

Karim's eyes shot open, and she sat up, just as the ice gave way, and we fell into the earth.