Forever Dreaming
Chapter 2
The Katt & the King

Hanging, suspended in a sea of nothingness, Alex slept, calm and peaceful. It was a sleep from which nothing could disturb him as he drifted through the void of darkness. It may have last only a few moments, or maybe a life time or two, he couldn't tell, nor did he care to keep track. The darkness seemed to wrap around him, like warm blankets on a cold winters night. Alex might of stayed there for an eternity, stayed there in his wonderful slumber, but it wasn't meant to be. A white flash of light exploded nearby, and the darkness turned from black to white. His eyes flew open, and then he recoiled, blinded by the light.

He felt as if he were falling, and moments later, just as his eyes opened once more, he splashed into a creek of dark muddy water. Alex disappeared into the watery depths, and spinning around confused and disoriented, he fell. He felt his foot hit the wet, sandy river bottom, and kicking off he shot upward breaking the surface of the water. A bright, warm sun shone overhead, and gazing around he saw a sea of tall oak tree's standing along the sandy shore. Alex tried to gasp for air, but the current of the water quickly entrapped him, pulling him under once more. Sinking to the bottom again he tumbled along, swept away by the current. The water was pleasantly warm and it seemed to suffocate him even faster then the first time. Darkness consumed him once more, and as he passed again into the void he couldn't help but wondering,

What the hells going on?

                                                           .....

The life of a paramedic wasn't glamorous. When a doctor wrestled a patient from the jaws of death cheers of joy would fill the air, and hugs and smiles were shared all around. A paramedic never received such things, usually because when paramedics arrived on a scene, it was too filled with damage, chaos and injuries for such petty things. They worked tirelessly to keep people alive long enough to get them to a hospital where doctors would rush them off and perform miracles to restore them, and then be thanked countless for doing so. Or, on times such as this, paramedic's would be sent to retrieve bodies. Technically one could not be pronounced dead until they arrived at a hospital, but gazing down at the boy, Kyle Rider knew it was already too late.

Kyle had wanted to work in medicine all his life, he dreamed of one day becoming a doctor and helping people. However his marks in med school had damped his dream slightly, and instead of the glory of a clean white hospital, he was forced to expect the dirty, gritty job of paramedic. It wasn't the worst job in the world, but some days it could be pretty damn depressing.

Loading the boy onto a stretcher, Kyle and a fellow paramedic headed for their ambulance, lights flashing brightly, a contrast to the grey rainy day that was plaguing the city. They climbed inside, slammed the door and felt the vehicle take off down the road. The two men prepared to try to bring the boy back from the grave, but in the back of Kyle's mind he knew it was pointless. The boy's electric blue eyes stared up into the heavens, dull and lifeless, rigor mortis would soon sink in, turning the drenched body into a statue of the dead.

The call had come in, a elderly man yelling about how he'd seen a boy and a girl falling off a bridge into a river. It had taken some time, but eventually they'd found the boy washed up along the stony shore, the girl was no where to be found, and from the sights of the boy, looking for her would be pointless anyways. With the weather like it was, the water must have been freezing, and Kyle shuddered at the thought of what it must of been like, drowning, knowing that your death was closing in. More rescue workers would be sent, and sooner or later they'd find the girl, probably in much the same condition as the boy. Cold, stiff, lifeless.

Well, maybe there was still a chance. There had been rare reports of people coming back to life hours after they had been pronounced dead. It was unlikely, but there was always a chance. And, as long as there was a chance...
Cutting off the drenched grey jacket the boy had been wearing, Kyle set to work, even if it was pointless, he'd give it his all...

                                                           .....

The next time Alex awoke, it wasn't nearly as sudden as before. It was the coldness of the floor that had slowly nudged him awake, and gradually his eye's fluttered open. He was staring at a stone wall, and looking around he found himself surrounded by two more, and a small door of metal bars. A jail cell, he was in a jail cell... Weakly he began to stand, a musty smelling blanket that had been thrown over him dropped to the cold stone floor, and standing he stretched, his muscles ached from the uncomfortable sleep. A splitting pain filled his head and his eyes began to black over. Alex stumbled backwards, and collapsed to the floor.
The pain soon disappeared, and his eyesight returned, not wishing to have the same thing happen again, Alex sat, resting, and all the while thinking. His memory seemed blank, he couldn't remember what had happened, nor why he was here....wherever here was.... As Alex thought, he soon remembered.

"Class...Raye....Jerrie....Max.....Emily.....park....." he muttered to himself, trying to remember. "Park.....girl....bridge..." then it hit him. It all flooded back and his mind recoiled at the memory. He had died. Drowned in that cold dark river trying to save the suicidal girl. But....if he had died....then....what was he doing here? Alex shivered, and for the first time noticed he was quite damp. A long lock of raven black hair fell into his eyes, and quickly he pushed it aside. Gathering the blanket from the floor, he wrapped it around himself, and sat again, his back against the corner. Was it a dream? It was said people experienced vivid dreams right before death. He looked around the cell, hoping to find something to help him, but except for himself, the blanket, and a dusty, cracked mirror that hung on the stone wall, it was empty.

His eyes gazed over the mirror, and then quickly they returned. What Alex saw almost made him scream. He leapt up, and nearly tripped over himself trying to get to the mirror. Alex's eyes poured into the mirror, but he didn't see his reflection, instead he saw the girl's. The pale faced ghost girl that had dragged him to his death, that's who he saw, not himself. The eyes, electric blue they were, and he recognized them as his own, but everything else was different. Horribly different, like something out of a twisted nightmare. His hair was long, falling almost all the way to the middle of his back, and it was black as the night instead of the warm brown it had once been. His skin was unusually pale, his body different, curvier, skin softer, and he wore nothing but a thin summer's dress, once white but now more of a dirty grey (probably from the tumble into the river....the second time...).
Alex wasn't himself anymore. He wasn't even a he....

"I'm....I'm a girl...." she sputtered. Her legs nearly buckled as she took in the news. But that made no sense! Nothing was making any sense. Had she gone insane, was all this a delusion of a sick mind? Or maybe she had been right the first time, maybe all this really was a dream....maybe the whole day had been a dream. It was possible, that even now Alex was really back at his lonely house, sleeping soundly, tucked under warm linen sheets...

No, that couldn't be it. Everything that had happened...it had been real. Too real to be a dream. But this didn't make any sense. Nothing in the known world could of done this. Yet, it was.

And then, a sudden feeling crept over Alex, the feeling of an unseen presence nearby, watching, hidden in the shadows. Alex looked around her cell once more, but nothing was there, and yet the feeling continued to grow. The feeling soon became overwhealming, it felt like a giant hand was slowing smothering her. Alex began to panic, her heart throbbed madly, and her breathing became shallow and rapid. Whatever it was....it was coming. Closing in on her with every passing sec-
Something soft suddenly ran in-between her legs and with a startled scream Alex fell back, crashing to the cold floor. Peering around she saw what had given her such a start. It was soft, black, furry and... purring? A cat sat on top of her, gazing at her with deep, wide emerald green eyes.

A cat...just a cat" Alex said weakly, giving a sigh of relief. All that fuss over a cat....Though it was quite unusual looking. Its fur was long, and pure black, except for a patch of white along the creature's front chest, and taking a closer look Alex noticed something protruding from its head. Two small white horns, almost unnoticeable, stuck out from the top of the cat's head. "A cat with horns....maybe I really did go insane" Alex muttered, stroking the cat absentmindly.

"You my friend are either very brave or very foolish...It can be hard to tell with humans sometimes...." a male voice echoed in the cell.

Alex glanced around, surprised. "Who....whose there?" she asked.

"Hmm....what's this? You're not blind are you? Though if you were, it would make you all the more remarkable...though...your eyes are quite unusual..." the voice replied back.

Alex looked around again, before resting eyes on the cat, "No....it....it couldn't be...could it?... Can....can you talk?" Alex asked the cat, feeling very foolish.

The cat stood up, and stretched its legs. "If that surprises you you'll be amazed at all the others things I can do."

"Jeez!" Alex leapt to her feet, and the cat fell off her, landing on the ground awkwardly, it turned and gave a hiss. "You could of given me a little warning! I was quite enjoying sitting there, your nice and soft... especially your chest." The cat shot Alex another look before heading for the iron bars. Carefully it popped its head through and soon the rest of its body followed. With a flick of its tail the cat started off down the stone hall.

"Wait! I'm sorry, don't go!" Alex cried after it. She ran to the door, watching as the cat walked away. "Please...." she tried again, before stopping herself. "I really must be insane....I'm trying to convince a talking cat to come back and chat with me....."

"Well...since you insist".

Alex leapt back in surprise, the cat had reappeared at her feet once more. "How did you...." she began.

"Do that? Well I'm a Katt of coarse." he replied, as if that explained everything.
"I know what a cat is.....but where I come from, they don't disappear and reappear like...well....I guess they sorta of do....what I mean is-"

"Look" the cat cut her off, "If we're going to continue this little chat....I want to lay on your chest again."

".....So.....you're  a perverted talking cat...."

"Its not like that..." the cat replied defensively. "Though, I must admit, I've seen noble women of the court that are more fitted to being swine compared to you. This makes you all the more curious though. A thief....a female thief no less...."

"Wait....what do you mean thief?" Alex asked.

One of the cat's eye's give a quick wink, "Hmmm? You know playing dumb won't get you very far. You've been caught, it would be better if you just owned up to what you've done."

Alex was becoming more and more confused by the moment "But....what have I done?"

The cat gazed at her intensely for some time before speaking, a odd look in his eyes. "You....you really don't know....do you?" the cat asked.

"No, I don't..."

"I should of known..." the cat began to pace back and forth across the stone floor, his tail twitching. "Your mind was quite a mess....memories scattered far and wide...I just figured it was the distortion of almost drowning and have to be fished out of the river....but its more then that....most interesting indeed..." the cat muttered to himself, still pacing. This continued for some times until Alex couldn't take it any more, and reaching down she snatched the cat from off the ground.

"Would you mind explaining to me just what the hell your talking about?"

The cat's eyes widened in amazement. "You....touched me again....so you really must not know then....quite fascinating.... Allow me to introduce myself then, my true name is Demitrios D, the Katt, but most humans call me simply Demitri." the cat gave a little bow, a sight so amazing and yet all the while ever so amusing.

Alex sat the black cat back on the floor, and sat down herself, a sudden weariness had come over her, she felt as if she'd had been on her feet all day. "So...just what is a....Katt right?"

"We are a most ancient race, rare, powerful, and a keeper of many secrets" Demitrios began, a touch of pride in his voice. "Ever since our ancestors first appeared upon this land we've wandered the world, seeing almost everything there is to see, and involving ourselves in affairs that interest us."

"And I interest you?"

"Very much so....you seem to be quite a mystery...."

"How so?" Alex asked, curious.

"Several nights ago, a thief somehow entered into the deepest, most well guarded vault in the Grey Castle, and from there this thief snatched away a most valuable item of the king's. A most precious and beautiful gem stone known as the Katt's Eye. This caused quite a stir throughout the land. Breaking into the Grey Castle, is foolish at best, and at worst....and stealing from the Shrouded Vault no less...well at any rate, the thief vanished without a trace until a day ago when several of the king's men found a girl washed up upon the bank of a river....A girl who had the Katt's Eye on her..."

"When...when you say a girl...you mean..."

"Yes you."

Alex burst into protest. "But I didn't steal anything! I don't even know how I got here....or like this...."

"You say that, yet the evidence says otherwise....but....your mind is quite a mess, I could hardly read anything from it..."

"Wait....what do you mean you couldn't read anything from it?"

Demitri's eyes flashed, a dangerous look in them. "That is what I meant before, when I said my race was powerful. We have many unique abilities, its a fairly well known fact that its dangerous to cross paths with a Katt, that's why I was so surprised when you touched me before....like I said, only humans that are truly brave or foolish have anything to do with my kind....well....willingly at least." Demitriolos chucked at this..

"Well....in all honesty...I don't think I'm very brave or foolish....where I come from, there's tons of animals like you....well...except for the talking thing...and the mind reading...." Alex tried to imagine what a little cat like Demetri could do to cause anyone to fear him, but nothing came to mind though.

"I see....you don't believe me hmm?" Demitri said crossly, and suddenly he snapped his eyes shut. Alex wondered what he was doing when suddenly she felt herself pulled off the floor, as if a giant hand had suddenly snatched her up. She struggled, arms and legs flailing as she floated suspended in mid air. Demitri's eyes flashed opened and Alex crashed back to the cold floor.

"Owww...." she moaned in pain.

Demitri pressed his face close to hers a wild gleam in his eyes, "And that is why humans fear us." he whispered, his voice sounding quite dangerous. Suddenly his ears began to twitch and he paused for a moment. "It seems I must be leaving you my dear thief. But keep an eye and an ear out for me, for I shall certainly be keeping an eye on you. You are a most wonderful mystery... one that I shall have much fun unravelling," No sooner then the last word had escaped his mouth he disappeared, fading out of sight like a ghost. Laying there on the cold stone floor, Alex realized that once again, she was alone.

"Well...that was... interesting...." she muttered darkly, picking herself up from off the floor. It was only now that Alex started to notice, if this was suppose to be a dungeon of sorts, why was it so damn quiet? She peered through the iron bars, across lay another cell, but it was empty, as was all the other cells that lay on each side of the long dark hallway. She truly was alone, trapped in her cell. Looking up Alex saw that a long metal grate lay above and sun light shined through, illuminating the otherwise dark dungeon. "That's different..." Alex murmured to herself "though it must suck to be a prisoner down her when it rains....". After a few more minutes of gazing out from the bars, Alex returned to the mirror, thinking about what Demitri had told her, all the while examining herself.

Alex didn't really know what to make of the sudden change. She felt so strange, outplace like a fish tossed out from water, and at the same time it felt quite natural, like she'd been like this all her life. Looking over herself Alex had to admit, if not for the fact that she looked a bit like a drowned rat, she'd be quite beautiful.
"I wonder...If my body's been turned into a girl's, what about my mind?". Concentrating, Alex tried to remember what had happened before falling into the river, but the memories seemed fuzzy, unfocused, as if someone else had lived them. She returned to the floor, wrapping herself up in the blanket she lay feeling quite exhausted, though she couldn't think of why? It was probably a good idea to get some rest though, who knows how long she'd be stuck in this cell for? Hundreds of questions and thoughts bounced around her mind, but eventually the exhaustion won out and she drift into a deep, dreamless sleep.

                                                           .....

There was a loud bang, and Alex awoke with a start. Blurry eyed and quite confused she saw that the door to her cell had been opened, and in the waving light of a torch, four men stood looking at her. The men wore chain mail that made noise with even the slightest move, crimson tunics and cloaks adored each of them, and long broadswords hung at there sides, the highly polished metal glimmered in the torch light. Guards?

"Get up." One of them ordered gruffly. Alex stumbled out of the cell and the guards closed in on her, binding her hands behind her back with a long string that seemed to give off a slight glow of its own. Other then that it looked like a normal piece of string, but at the same time it was painful to have on her bare skin, and Alex sensed that any attempts to break free would be doomed to failure.
Bound, and surrounded by the escort of guards, they proceed down the dark hall until they came to a staircase that led up, up, up. Through a wood door they went and Alex flinched as bright light flooded through the open doorway, blinding her. She blinked and squinted and soon her eyesight returning, and to her surprise she found herself in a beautiful hall. The floor was glossy and smooth, shinning like gold, and dozens of paintings decorated the walls. Where were they? For a few moments Alex stood, gazing around in amazement, but one of the guards gave her a shove forward and they continued. They walked for some time, passing through one long hallway after another.

They passed by countless doors, occasionally being met by another person, who would give Alex a quick glance and either a smile or a frown before looking away and scurrying on. Finally they reached a entrance hall, and turning they passed though a large set of double doors. Inside was a great hall, packed with people. Large arched windows looked out upon a cold, stone courtyard shrouded in the shadows of nightfall. Richly dressed couples, stood throughout the room, drinking, talking and dancing as a few musicians stood in the corner played soft music upon instruments both familiar and strange,

The guards pushed Alex along, and they headed for another set of double doors on the other side of the room. A pair of guards stood beside this doorway, armed to the teeth they stood erect, on guard, barely even blinking. If not for the fact they were breathing, Alex might of thought them to be statues....Freakishly real looking statues...

One of the three guards that had escorted her went through the doors, leaving Alex standing, surrounded by the remaining guards, and witness to the many others in the room. She could feel there eyes as they gazed at her, hear them murmuring amongst themselves. Alex starting to feel like she was some wild, exotic animal that had been put on display. Where were they even taking her? Demitri had mention something about a theft....Was she to put on trial? Did they even have trials wherever this was? A gruesome thought crossed Alex's mind. Maybe the guards were leading her to her own execution! Alex thought of bolting for it that very minute, but a nasty look from one of the guards quickly changed her mind.

The doors opened again, and another guard, different then the one who had entered, appeared. The man was tall, taller then any of the other guards, and if his broad shoulders, chest and arms were any indication, quite strong. He had very little hair, looking as if he had gotten a buzz cut, and he seemed to glare at everything and everyone with his cold steel, grey eyes. He was dressed the same as all the other guards, except his crimson cloak had a large wooden badge itched with a odd symbol attached to the front. He wore a few leather belts, each one holding a few sharp knives, and upon his waist sat a broad sword.

Wonder who he is....He looks like a beast! Maybe he's the executioner.....or a torturer perhaps!

The man stared at Alex, straight into her eyes, and Alex shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. A smile appeared on his face, and he whispered something to one of the guards that had escorted her.

"Are.....are you sure?" The guard asked him.

A quick nod was the man's only response. Alex watched as the guard drew a small, sharp knife from his belt, and held it out towards her.

They wouldn't kill me here....would they?! I mean....not in front of so many people.....

With a quick flick of the knife the string binding her hands fell to the floor, and Alex began to rub her wrists as the stinging pain slowly began to disappear. The two escort guards gave a quick bow to the man that towered over them, and then departed.

"Come..." the man ordered, grabbing Alex's arm roughly he dragged her along. The double doors slammed shut behind them and Alex found herself being led along a huge hall. Stained glass windows decorated the arched roof, and large marble statues, of old men with crowns stood, facing across from each other on both sides of the hall. A wide red carpet ran the length of the hall, and at the end was yet another set of doors, and another pair of guards.

"Where....where are we-" Alex began, but suddenly the giant of a man whirled around, backhanding her across the face. Pain explodes along side her head. Dazed she stumbled back, falling to the floor.

"What the hell!" Alex exclaimed, but she'd barely gotten the words out when the man brought his foot down, slamming it into her chest. Breathless she gasped in pain as the man continued to press his leather boot into her.

At this rate he'll flatten my chest and snap a rib!

Alex squirmed, trying desperately to escape from the man, but she'd have about as much luck lifting a building as she would accomplishing this feat.

"You are not to speak unless spoke to" the man growled down at her, his voice deep and gravelly. "Understood?". Alex nodded, and a few moments later felt relief as the man stepped off her. She lay on the floor for a short while, gasping and panting, pain still throbbing throughout her. "If you do so while talking with Lord Grey, I promise you, I wont hold back like I did this time."

That was holding back!

Weakly, Alex managed to stand, and turning, the man continued. Alex hurried along behind him, not wanting to be any closer to the man then she had to, but still making sure not to fall too far behind. The pair of guards opened the doors for Alex and the man, and as they shut them Alex felt her last chance of escape had disappeared.

They were in a small, rounded room now. Two books cases, packed with many leather bound tomes, ran along the wall of the room. The only spot on the wall that wasn't occupied by books was taken by a mantle and a fire place. The room was dimly lit, the only light given off was by the fireplace and a stream of moonlight that shone through a sky light high above. In the center of the room was a set of armchairs, a soft sofa and a long wooden table that faced the fire place. Sitting in one of the chairs, a man sat, so caught up in whatever he was reading that it seemed as if he hadn't noticed Alex and the giant guard had entered.

The guard bowed his head and knelt down on one knee, and for some time he remained there. All was silent, except for the crackle of the fire and the occasion sound of pages being turned as the man continued to read. Alex stood, taking in the room, and looking over the man who sat reading. Lord Grey...wasn't that what the guard had called him? He looked to be middle aged, yet he seemed to give off a strange sort of wild energy, even as he simply sat reading Alex could feel it radiating around him. His hair was long and night black, streaked with some grey here and there. A short greyish beard decorated his chin, and he wore long royal blue robes, with white fur running around the collar. A thin silver circlet ran around his forehead, an odd feature....

Don't Kings usually wear crowns?

Time passed. The giant guard continued to kneel, Lord Grey read, and Alex stood, her legs aching from standing still so long. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Lord Grey placed the book he had been reading on the long table by the fire, and stood to face them.

"Rise Grell." he commended, his voice with soft and velvety, seductive in a way...
The guard stood to his feet, but his head remained bowed.

Lord Grey glanced at Alex for a moment, before looking away. It had been hard to tell before, but at that moment Alex had saw the color of the Lord's eyes. They were black. Black as shadows, black as the night, black as ink! His pupil and iris seemed to be one in the same, and Alex was taken aback, curious and startled all at once. It was like looking into a hole so deep you couldn't see the bottom, only darkness forever descending. Alex felt the hair on the back of her neck raise on edge...

"So...this is the thief...." the Lord began in his velvet voice. "Interesting... Such a young women! And she's accomplished what few have set out to do....and most those that tried didn't survive....and yet, she looks hardly worse for wear...well...except for that bruise upon your face..."

Grell smirked.

So the bastard gets off from beating women...joy...isn't he a pleasant fellow...

Lord Grey glanced at her again, and Alex shuddered, as if a chilling wind had crept up upon her. "Normally....I'd simply leave thieves in my dungeons to rot away...and I may very well do that with you...But....I wished to speak with you. Like I said before....you accomplished what no other had ever done, stealing from the Shrouded Vault. Enchantments as old as the land itself have been casted on that vault, and yet, a mere thief had entered and left it...unharmed, and with a precious treasure no less....Come now thief, I wish to hear you tale of cunning and dare. I'll guess your bursting with pride at your accomplishment, stealing the Cat's Eye from me...even if I choose to kill you, you'll be leaving a grand legend
behind.... Now speak."

Speak?! Speak what? Alex couldn't remember anything about breaking into a castle or stealing anything. But she couldn't say that, who'd believe her? However, she was spared the task of having to explain herself, for suddenly a voice spoke from behind.

"There's no point questioning her Lord Grey, she couldn't tell you a think even if she wanted to." Alex spun around, and saw Demitri laying lazily upon one of the book cases. Grell glanced at the Katt as well, a look of loathing in his eyes.

"Is that so..." Lord Grey spoke slowly, eyeing the Katt with his jet black eyes. He seemed to be a little on edge at the sudden appearance of the Katt "And....why would that be?"

Demitri slowly stood to his feet, giving a long, drawn out stretch and a yawn before hopping off the bookshelf. With the grace only a cat has, he landed upon the floor. "She doesn't remember you see, her minds one big mess! Its a great mystery, one that has aroused my curiosity". Walking across the room Demetri passed by Grell, who seemed to give a slight shudder as he did, and came to a stop right in front of Alex. Sitting on the floor the Katt gazed up at the king.

"I assume that means she is....under your protection then?" Lord Grey asked, his eyes narrowed.

"At least till I'm done with her."

Until he's done with me? What's that suppose to mean?

"Hmm....I must admit, I am quite disappointed. I was looking forward to a good story, something to take my mind off of my affairs as of late... May I ask a question of you Katt?"

"As long as you use the right words" Demitri replied.

"What do you know of this girl?"

Demitri pondered the question a few moments, his tail swishing back and forth as he thought. "The girl who stands before you is Alexandrea Kross, a master amongst thieves"

Alexandrea?

"She appears to of come from a land quite a ways away, and though she is fond of the art of slight of hand, she has the spirit of a warrior. Her hands suggest she's not very familiar with a proper weapon, but all the same, anyone about to cross blades with her should think twice....That includes you as well Grell..."

The large man glared at the Katt again, but Demitri's only response was sticking his tongue out at him. Alex could see the mans face flushing red, and yet he seemed to be fighting with himself, trying to stop himself from lunging at the Katt. Was it out of fear? Did Demitri really command as much power as he had bragged before?

Maybe its a good thing to have his protection...guess I should be glad I've caught his interest. Though...I do hope its actually because of me, and not just the sudden bustline that I got.

Is that so?... Interesting...." Lord Grey gazed at Alex again, and she forced herself to look at the ground to avoid his cruel eyes. Alex looked up again, only after she'd heard Lord Grey rise from his seat. She watched as he moved towards the mantle that hung over the fireplace, and from it he removed a small black bottle.
"Alexandrea Kross, though you may be just a thief with a shattered memory, you have caught the eye of a Katt, which means there is much more to you then meets the eyes. You have committed the crime of theft, and for that your punishment shall be serving me for as long as I see fit. Grell, if you would please..."

The sound of something flying through the air hit Alex's ears, and a moment later something passed across her back, tearing open the back of the thin white summers dress that she wore. Behind her Grell stood on his feet, his long broadsword grasped tightly in his hands. Alex was amazed, she hadn't even heard him stand, let alone draw his sword.

He could of killed me just then...

Grell sheathed his blade and grabbing Alex's arms roughly turned her so her back faced his master. Lord Grey approached her, opening the tiny black bottle as he crossed the floor.

"Since your mine now I shall brand you with my sign, a sign that commands respect in some places, fear in others." he spoke this with much pride. "As long as this mark stays upon your flash, you shall obey my will. Any attempts to refuse will only end in your death"

"What does is that suppose to mean!?" Alex was beginning to panic, but she knew there be no escape from Grell's grasp. Looking down she saw Demitri looking up at her, a look of mourning appeared on his felix face. Suddenly a cold feeling spread across her back as Lord Grey pour some clear liquid onto her skin and begin tracing a pattern onto her flesh with his fingers. Alex squirmed uncomfortable as the coldness began to consume her body. It felt as if ice water was running through her veins and she wanted to scream in pain. The cold turned to warmth, and then to unbearable heat. Flashes of hot and cold ran amuck throughout her body and she felt her legs give out from under her as she fell to floor. Her head felt light and darkness began to cloud over her sight, but all the while as she was on the ground, gasping and moaning in pain, Lord Grey stood, smiling.
                                                                .....

The trip back to the dungeons wasn't nearly as memorable as the trip out. Racked with pain, Alex had been dragged out of Lord Greys study by a pair of guards who carried her all the way back down to her dark cell. Shoving her in she fell to the cold floor and lay there in agony for a while. In the darkness she lay, and wrapping herself up in the musty old blanket she returned to the corner, gasping for air. The pain consumed her, and it was all she felt. Her eyes shut tightly Alex hoped that sleep would come soon, if only to relieve her of the nightmare she had stumbled into.