Chapter 2

Felicity was dreaming. She had to be, because the real world was not as beautiful and kind. She dreamt of Pippa, her Pippa. Pippa kissed Felicity softly.

"My love, my Fee." Pippa murmured softly against Felicity's lips.

"Pippa. Pippa, I've missed you so much." Felicity choked back tears. Pippa cupped her cheek.

"I've missed you too, Fee. Come to me. I'm waiting for you. I'm waiting….." Pippa began to fade.

"No," Felicity groped for the fading figure, but her hands met air. "No, Pippa, come back! I can't live without you! I love you too much! Pippa!"

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Annabelle rolled over. Felicity was crying and calling out Pippa's name. Annabelle sighed. She couldn't let her suffer like that. Annabelle got up and padded over to her roommate.

"Felicity, wake up." Annabelle shook her softly. Felicity started to truly sob. "Oh, don't cry. Wake up, darling girl. Please, wake up!" Annabelle shook the trembling girl. Felicity snapped her eyes open and shot bolt upright, almost colliding into Annabelle. She quickly wiped her tears away.

"Did I disturb you?" Felicity asked in a hushed voice.

"No, I couldn't sleep. My mind tends to wander at night. Are you alright?" Felicity only nodded her head in response. "Miss Worthington...may I call you Felicity?" Again, only a nod. "May I do something to you?" Felicity shot her a look. "My mother used to do something when I was little and had a nightmare. I won't bite."

"I'm glad you cleared that up. I was beginning to wonder." Felicity gave her a half smile. "Do as you like." Annabelle made her way to her powder station and grabbed her brush. She motioned for Felicity to sit up a little farther. Annabelle positioned herself between Felicity and the wall. In gentle strokes she brushed Felicity's hair. The other girl sighed contentedly. Annabelle broke the silence.

"You loved her, didn't you?" Felicity went rigid.

"What business is that of yours?" She snapped.

"None. I only wanted to say that……you're not alone." Felicity relaxed.

"You love a woman, then?" Annabelle hesitated a moment, then resumed her brushing.

"Yes." Annabelle replied in a whisper. She closed her eyes and imagined her beautiful Zasha. Red hair that cascades down her shoulders and back, with honey colored eyes watching anything and everything. Then Annabelle saw the thing she had turned Zasha into. The beast with breath of fire, and a body of golden armor, with wings big and strong. And those eyes.

It was years before when they fought. Zasha was winning and had Annabelle pinned to the soft earth in the Realms.

"You should die a torturous death!" Zasha made to kill Annabelle, but the blonde bested the red haired maiden. With all her strength and magic, Annabelle turned Zasha into the one thing she thought the girl resembled the most, a fork tongued Dragon. Zasha had pitched and screamed in agony while her body twisted and stretched, all the while Annabelle reveled in it.

"You shall be my slave, and obey my every command!" And it has been so ever since. Zasha could change into her human form, but only for small amounts of time, nothing over ten minutes or so. The only thing that had changed since that day was that Zasha had become Annabelle's best friend. Her friend, and the only person Annabelle would willingly die for, the only person she would give everything and anything to make her happy.

Annabelle came out of her memory and concentrated on Felicity's hair.

"Tell me about her." Felicity asked.

"She is kind; strong…she lifts me up high, and makes me feel as if I am queen. She has red hair and perfect honey golden eyes. But she knows not of my affections. She is also far away from here." Annabelle's heart sank. If only she could get to the Realms this moment, she would be happy.

"Pippa was beautiful." Annabelle was startled at hearing this, not expecting her roommate to confide in her. "Black hair and violet eyes. She returned my affections in part."

"In part?"

"Yes, that is to say, she would kiss me one moment and squirm at the thought the next. Don't get me wrong, she was the kindest soul in my life. She was my life, my world. But she died." There was a silence that was deafening.

"I'm sorry." Felicity's eyes began to water again.

"We should get back to bed. We do have schooling in the morning, mind you."

"Yes, we should, shouldn't we?" Annabelle made her way back to her own bed.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue, Annabelle."

"Felicity, darling, you needed no rescuing, especially by the likes of me."