A/N: Thank you to Chorus girl 24601 and Thunderstorm101 for reviewing! Wow, all the tension in this chapter, I'm exhausted!

The Light's go Out

Boa stared at him stunned. Congratulations? He had heard it all? But her answer she could see on his face; he seen everything. Every word of hate she had ever spoken about him, there it was in the back of his eyes. Every terrible sentence, every horrible thought, it was there for her to see. What had she done to him? Had she been the cause of that glint of pain.

"You read my diary," she said finally. He knew everything because of her. She had done all of this. Not content with just thinking it, she had committed her fears to paper. He had read her every thought, her every wish.

"Clever girl."

She felt a flash of anger, that gave her the strength to stand before him and she faced his darkened eyes with violated ones of her own.

"How dare you!" she exclaimed. "Finnegan!" she called into the darkness. "Finnegan!"

Carrion smirked.

"He's gone. He couldn't wait to leave. He wont ever becoming back either."

Boa's eyes widened. What had happened to Finnegan? If something had happened, she knew she would have been the cause of it. Torn between looking for Finnegan and seeing their argument to the very bitter end, Boa stood frozen in the darkness.

"What do you mean, 'won't be coming back'? Yes he will, he's coming back for me, and we are going to be married."

"Hobb wont be coming back, not when you are my Queen!"

Boa's face contorted into questioning, but she didn't have the chance to ask, as Carrion had rushed at her before she could react.

She screamed, and barely had time to knock one of his hands away before he pushed her over onto the grass. She screamed again as her bones made contact with the hard earth, and a jarring pain shot from her hip up her back and into her arm. Desperately she tried to fend him away from her, each lost in the struggle. The pain was easing, but as it left, panic began to flood in. By not knowing what he was going to do, Boa began to cry again.

"Get off me!" she whimpered. "Please don't!"

There was questioning the fact that he was stronger of the two, and she was completely at his mercy. His whim was her torture, there was nothing she could do to stop him. This crushing realisation caused her to stop fighting, and she surrendered this round.

Carrion felt her give up, her hands stopped pushing against him, her legs stopped moving, and her eyes than had been so filled with anger and hate, closed, trapping their tears inside. He waited, but she lay unmoving.

"Do you think you are going to die?" he asked.

No response. He pushed his weight back off of her, and for a brief moment wondered whether he had done her any damage. But the steady rising and falling of her chest told him otherwise, she's stopped fighting of her own accord.

"Do you think I would kill you?" he tried again, looking down on her.

Boa opened her eyes, and this time the tears were gone. Her eyes had a hard look to them, as she stared up at him.

"I think you're capable of anything," Boa said, her voice steadied by the tone of disgust. "I don't think anyone would stop you."

Her face turned away from him. His face had looked foreign to her; she could have been staring at a demon, and she would've not noticed. She felt her heart harden against him, and any feelings she had once had for him, sunk away until they were nothing.

"When the rose-tint disappears Christopher, all we'd ever be is King and Queen lying in the mud. Just like the dirt clings to us now. A reign that begins in pain will end the same way."

"Maybe pain is all you deserve," he said removing to lye on the ground beside her.

Boa lay in wait. Was he really letting her go? What had she said that could have warranted her freedom? Her words had been vicious and biting, and had not been spoken in any regard for his feelings.

Carrion was staring at the sky now, and seemed to have forgotten her for the moment. Boa carefully moved away from him, a little at a time.

"In the dirt," Carrion muttered. "In the dark."

But the voice didn't seem to come from him, it sounded like a voice from the past. Her words had struck something within him, a bad memory maybe? Another scathing comment? Boa sat up slowly, both eyes on him in case he struck out at her again. But he remained unmoving, staring with a emptiness in his eye.

Standing above him, looking down, Boa knew he had given her power over him now. He was helpless on the floor, under her boot if she so wished. She matched his stare, waiting until he looked at her.

As soon as he caught her eye, his face changed again. Boa had to force herself to remain where she was, when her whole body felt repulsed. There was something evil looking at her from his eyes.

"You will regret this Boa," he warned.

Boa felt her heart race. He wasn't empty in this threat, he would make her life unhappy in anyway he could. She saw his hand around her throat in her years to come, he'd keep her afraid of him forever. But at least she would be free and afraid, not trapped in a dark room somewhere.

"I will be happy," Boa said, as confidently as she could manage.

"Happy marrying a man you don't love? Too afraid to take the uncertain

road, so you're content to settle with safe?"

"Why would I choose a life of danger?" Boa asked, a confused frown on her face.

Carrion sneered at her, and looked back at the stars.

"Because, it leads to the greater rewards," he said returning his gaze to her face once more, this time his eyes were earnest.

Boa opened her mouth to protest, but found she had nothing to say. In her heart she felt he was right. Was she really just settling because she was afraid? She tried to argue herself back into surety, but a doubt had been cast. She looked away so that he wouldn't see the confusion on her face.

"You were my light Boa," he said calling her attention back to him. "You could be the light to my hour, if only you were brave enough. Look at the good you could do here."

He was right, she wasn't brave. If she really cared about the suffering children in the dark hours, like she proclaimed to, she'd stay here, and sacrifice her life to bring them hope. But she wasn't brave. Her blood went cold at the thought of ending her days here, with the evil inside of Carrion as her only companion.

"I don't have to listen to this," she decided, stepping away from him. "I'm leaving you now, and I'm taking that book back with me."

Carrion was on his feet so quickly and blocking her path, before Boa had even realised he'd moved. In his eyes again there was the warning of the temper that overpowered her before.

"What book?" he asked.

"The book you took, the one from my library," Boa told him, trying not to stammer even though she felt afraid once more. "The one you shouldn't have. I want it back."

They stood facing each other, but Boa wouldn't run away from this.

"As you wish," he said eventually, with the greatest control over the anger in his voice.

The book belonged to her, and she wouldn't let him keep it. She followed as he led the way back to the tower.

"The diary you can keep, and I hope you enjoy it," she said maliciously as they walked. The silence was oppressive, and she preferred to be arguing that thinking.

"Your diary does not interest me," Carrion replied not looking at her.

Boa laughed a harsh laugh, that was forced to sound hurtful.

"Don't lie to me, I know you'll want to read what I've written about you. What do you expect to find? Entries of hate? Well, I'm sorry, but you'll be disappointed. I didn't hate you until today!"

That was a lie, there were many entries of bad feeling, but she was hoping he would never look inside the pages. Or if he did, she wouldn't be there to see the consequences.

Carrion stopped mid-step, and Boa thought she might have gone too far. She waited for the backlash, but there was none. And after all, was there anything more they could attack each other with? If their souls could be seen, she thought they would be black and blue by now; and if Carrion's soul could be seen, it might even have begun the evening already broken.

There were no more words from Carrion, just silence. Not another word was uttered until they reached the library, and even then, words were scarce. Boa followed him inside, only to have a book thrown at her. The heavy pages hit her chest and bruised her, and as a result she caught it clumsily.

"Happy now?" he asked walking to the fire.

Boa read the cover. It was book about dragons, and other harmful creatures. She looked up at him appalled.

"Why would you steal such a book? What would you want which such knowledge?"

Maybe she didn't really want that question answered, but she had asked it nonetheless. Carrion reached into his pocket and pulled out her diary. He held it in his hand thoughtfully.

"My grandmother requested it, but I shall not fear her anger when she discovers it's missing… if you truly want it back."

Boa hugged the book to her. If that old witch wanted the book, then Boa knew she had to take it home and keep it safe.

"I do," she confirmed.

"Then I accept your trade," Carrion said looking at her diary.

Boa watched him throw her diary into the flames of the fire. All connection between them seemed to burn to dust in that moment, and they were just strangers once more. Boa bowed her head, and opened the door. The click of the door turned Carrion's gaze back to her.

"I told you, you were my light Boa," he said. "But light's can go out."

The fire in the grate sputtered and died at his words, and startled, Boa left the room quickly. The door shut heavily behind her, leaving Carrion in the lonely dark.