Eleni Crow was guilty, once more. She just could stay away from the mirror her grandfather had gifted her. Although, this time, she had a legitamite reason: her black eye. At least two people knew about her encounter with Artan, and though she had considered healing it herself, Perci was expected at the pages' study session in the Green Library. He would definitely wonder about the lack of color on her face.

Resigning herself to the unholy colors surrounding her right eye, Eleni gathered her books and headed out to meet her new friends. Having already forgotten how to find the Green Library, Eleni settled for openning every door in the north wing of the second floor.

I know that silly room is near here. It has to be! Warren showed it to us, right after our mathematics lesson. Sighing in frustration, Eleni rounded a corner and headed down a second hallway, intent on finding a servant to help her. She found no kind palace servant waiting for her in the hall, but Alexander of Tirragen was.

Smug, intriguing, and utterly dangerous Alexander, watching her with his electrum cat eyes. He had been waiting for her, it was evident in his relaxed position, casually leaning on one shoulder against the stone wall,f no more than five feet from the corner she had rounded. He just watched her, a tiny smile on his lips. Eleni found the smile positively feral.

Steeling herself against the fearful shivers running up and down her spine, she held her head high and marched right past him. She was just reached the first door on her left, tanned fingers wrapped around her wrist. The steel facade crumbled and the shivering showed. As she looked up to Alex's face, Eleni swore to the Goddess herself that the boy could have been a cat demon belonging to the Hag. As frightened as she was, a, surprisingly, gentle tug was all that was needed to redirect Eleni to the hallway she had come from.

"And here I couldn't get you to be quiet two days ago. What happened, Myles?" he asked. "Cat got your tongue?" Though chuckling at his own joke, he didn't miss the newest shiver from Eleni, but continued teasing her. "I found it quiet funny, the amount of racket you were making. And you mumble to yourself, did you know that? Sounded just like one of those giant animals - elephants- that the Carthaki Emperor keeps." Giving up on his self-imposed babbling, Alex stopped dead in his tracks, forcing Eleni to walk into his back. Turning to her, his words were sincere, "I'm sorry."

Mouth slighly gaping, all Eleni could do was stare. He apologized! Well, she thought, it's going to take a lot more than two little words to earn my forgiveness. I may not know the whole story, but this one's a snake. Wrenching her forearm from his grip, she started back the way they had just come.

She heard him sigh, annoyed most likely, then call out. "The Green Library is back this way, Pirate's Swoop. It's the one on the right after the Blue Library." When she turned back to face him, he was leaning against the wall, the same way she had found him originally. The only difference this time was a satisfied smirk was marring his mouth.

An uncensored and traitorous thought crossed her mind, He's too pretty for that look. Promptly abolishing such thinking, she headed down the hall to the appropriate door.

"No show of gratitude, Pirate's Swoop? That's not very chivalrous, you know."

Her fingers on the doorknob, Eleni gave her response without turning. "Thank you for showing me where the Library was." His smile got even more smug. "But," she continued. "Do not think that I have forgiven you or your friends. I might never forgive you, not after what I learned about Marie. Please, leave me alone."

Without a look back at the gobsmacked boy, Eleni walked into the elusive Green Library and away from Alexander.

He, for his part, was pleased and his smile turned from despodent to genuine. Almost as if to himself, Alex whispered parting words to the fledgling lion, "Well learned, Myles."

Back in his original hall, Alex returned to the door he had been guarding unbeknowest to the younger page. And not long after his return to guard duty, Pier emerged from the room, Artan on her heels. alex didn't need to look insdide to know what had happened inside. Pier had let her sadistic side get the better of her. Another maid would be found in the morning, her hair slashed along with her face. Pier was merciless and cruel, and Alex had helped her get away with it. On one hand her had let this travesty occur, on the other hand, he had protected a younger page from walking into a trap.

"Did I hear doors slamming?" Pier asked while inspecting her sapphire-blue nails, her only vanity.

Alex felt as if she had ensnared his heart with those nails. Against all odds, he felt an attachment to the tiny page, and Pier would waste no time in sinking her claws into him. For reasons known only to the gods, Alex lied to Pier, for the first time in the history of their strange friendship.

"That was me," he replied in a casual fashion. "I thought I heard noise from the room down the hall, and went to investigate. Then I decided to check the others. Was it too much of a distraction?"

Not really caring about the whole issue, Pier waved it away. "Not at all, Alex." That haunting, sadistic grin was back on her face. "I only asked because she was so quiet that it allowed me to hear you. Oh well, shall we move on back to our rooms? By the way, would you assist Artan with his mathematics work," that wasn't a request. Alex knew it for the order it was. "The silly thing can't add to save his life." With a strangely effeminate giggle that resounded with glee, she glided away from the door with a lady's grace. Artan was, as always, on her heels.

Pushing himself off from the wall, Alex entered the silent room. Crumpled on the floor was a palace maid, a typical target of Pier's. As he set to healing the worst of the poor woman's injuries, Alex noticed something that distinguished her from the usual victims. The maid he was healing had once had long, red hair.

Alex had heard more than enough tall tales of Pier's initial cruelties towards the palace's female staff. Those women had been brunettes of tall stature. He would later see the famed Protector of the Small from afar and learn that she was a brunette, as well. By the end of his first year at the palace, Pier had moved on to torturing the small, blonde servants. All of them resembled Marie of Wellam.

And now her hate was focused on redheads. He should have seen it coming. Especially after her little power demonstration.

Knowing that he was going to have a difficult time clandestinely reigning in her malicious tendencies, he took care to not jar the woman. After setting her down in one of the room's chairs, he left the door open and headed off for Pier's bedroom. She had given an order, and he was compelled to obey.

I am a cruel, cruel person. I am so sorry to everyone who waited for this chapter. My muse (and college schedule) is an unkind mistress.

Re-Posted 6-15-09. Had to do a tiny revamp on the chapter. A very kind reader pointed out a typo on my part, and I had to get rid of a few V's. Thanks!