The first thing that came to me was the pain. I woke completely disoriented and afraid. A pained cry escaped my throat, and I turned onto my side, curling inward on myself. A hand rested on my shoulder and I flinched away violently.

"Easy, Angela." The voice drifted through my dazed state, but I did not understand. "Meira." My eyes shot open and fixed upon the concerned face of a woman with blond hair braided behind her. She smiled slightly at me. "Meira, can you understand me?"

"Teresa?"

"Yes, do you hear me?" I nodded slightly and tried to focus. Soon, my head cleared and I could see. "Hmm… I think the potion is working. Meira, try not to move, alright?"

"Angela." I whispered. "Call me Angela."

"Alright. How long was I unconscious?"

She smiled slightly. "Only a few minutes. I revived you fairly quickly. Until you have the energy and strength, which I will determine, you can heal yourself, but until then try to remain still. Are you still in pain?"

I grimaced. "I can deal with it." I turned my head and saw Jorgan standing in the doorway with a scowl on his face. Teresa glanced at him and I spoke up. "Teresa, I promised Jorgan an explanation."

She nodded. "I'll go."

Teresa left and I leaned back into her pillows. "I'm guessing you want to know what happened." He nodded, still watching mu with a guarded expression. "What I tell you, I would prefer to be kept between us, alright?"

"Fine."

I reached over to the table and grabbed the pouch. I handed him the bag. "These are the knucklebones of a dragon?" He questioned. "These are what you took?"

I nodded weakly and, against Teresa's orders, I tried to sit, uncomfortable speaking to someone on a different level that me. It was a bad decision and I should have at least put a little thought into it. Needless to say, I was rendered incapable of doing anything besides trying to breathe and survive the pain.

"Angela, didn't she just tell you not to move?" I heard the man swear and hold me still as I writhed. It was a few minutes before I could breathe normally again. Despite the mistrust and suspicion in Jorgan's eyes, there was a hint of concern remaining. "How do you feel?"

"Honestly?" I managed to say. "Like I've been stabbed."

He looked startled at my sardonic reply and then laughed slightly. "I suppose I deserved that answer."

"What do you want to know first?"

"Who you are." He said. "You have been deceiving me the entire time you have known me."

"I know." I said, feeling guilty.

–The novelty of lying had faded somewhat as I realized what power it held to hurt. It never occurred to me before that it could in any way be morally reprehensible. While I still make use of lies when necessary, I swore never to lie to my friends. Half-truths and avoiding questions, yes, but to outright lie to those who I cared for…–

"Until several months ago, I was Meira. It was the name my parents gave me, but after several months, when I left my home. I became Angela."

"Why?"

I couldn't meet his eyes. "My entire life was ripped away from me in a moment. I'll never be the same person that I was before that."

He nodded, accepting my answer. "So what happened tonight? What was with the dragon jawbones? I mean, I know they are valuable, but the more I think about it, the less it seems that you cared about the price."

I leaned back, taking a breath. "You see, I was raised in Ellesméra. My parents were both riders. The man… he said they were from the purple dragon. That was… Vanilor. My father's dragon and my friend." I began to cry then as I shared my story.

By the time I finished, he was simply staring at me. I shifted, wincing at the burst of pain that shot up from my shoulder. I couldn't meet his gaze. "I understand why you lied to me." He spoke softly. "I won't tell anyone, but I also cannot be with you. I can't trust you, and you are dangerous."

"I understand." I whispered, hurt. He nodded once and then stood to leave. "I guess that this is goodbye." I nodded and numbness filled me as he left. –I would never see him again.–

Teresa appeared in the doorway and sat beside me. "Are you alright?"

"Can I try to heal myself?" She looked at me closely and then nodded. I closed my eyes and placed my hand over the wound in my shoulder. "Waise hael." I fought the urge to cry out as an uncomfortable, but not quite painful settled beneath my skin. I grimaced and waited it out. Thirty seconds past and I cut off the spell, exhausted. The wound was not entirely healed, but a puckered pink scar stood up from my skin. It would do for the moment.

"I think I need to sleep." I said and then a sudden thought hit me and I whispered several words to disguise myself, once again turning into the blond sister of Teresa. She only nodded and put out the lamp.

–For the next few days I suppose I was a bit of a downer. Poor Thomas actually asked if my head was 'hurt' to in the attack. Cheeky little bugger. So anyway, skip forward some irrelevant days where I moped around the shop and we'll resume the story.–

I walked downstairs to find Teresa and Thomas sharing a meal. With a quiet greeting, I joined them.

"I've been thinking."

Teresa looked at me and raised her eyebrows slightly. "Yes?"

"By staying here, I am putting both of you in danger. I couldn't stand it if something happened to you on account of me."

"You're leaving then? I wondered how long it would before you decided that."

"So you're not angry with me for leaving you?"

Teresa smiled as she wiped up the cup of water her young son had just spilled. "Since you first told me your story I knew that you wouldn't be here long."

"You took me in anyways?"

"It's not like you haven't been helpful around here anyway. " She stood and got me a plate. "When do you plan on leaving?"

I bowed my head slightly. "Today. This morning. I must go." She nodded in understanding and a heavy silence fell as we continued eating.

It was not two hours later that I found myself standing at the door with a heavy pack loaded with food and spare clothing. I knew it was time to leave the city. Where I would go I had yet to decide, but then, thinking ahead was a trait that had had to be painstakingly beaten into my brain.

"So… I guess this is it."

Teresa smiled at me and then stepped forward to hug me tightly. "I'll miss having you around. It was good while it lasted."

"I'll miss you as well." I knelt, holding out my arms to Thomas who leapt into them immediately. "Bye, Thomas, I'll miss you as well."

His thumb had found its way into his mouth and he pulled away, looking at me with eyes. "When you gonna come back?"

I felt tears wet my eyes and I kissed him on the top of the head. "Here, Thomas, this is for you." I unwrapped a delicate looking carving and placed it in his hands. It was an intricately carved eagle, a memento for him to remember me by. "Goodbye, Thomas, Teresa."

I paused once at the threshold of the door and looked back once more. "Thank you for helping me to get back on my feet."

"Goodbye, Angela. Good luck."

I smiled and closed the door behind me, wandering toward the gates of the city where the guards let me out without interest. The path I would take was unknown to me at the time, but it influenced my life immensely.

Uncertain where to go, I stood in the center of a field, my pack at my feet, and lay down in the moist grass to watch the clouds and calm my mind. I had time.

And there you go. The chapters should become more interesting now that she is out again. Leave me a review. More reviews may urge me to write faster, not that I'm trying to bribe you or anything.