Finally the day came, I left with him on horse back, and we rode to the darkness. As we neared the darkness, I heard Maliki's voice in my head, "my little Raven, you have finally come." A smile crossed my face, and I begged for him, to go faster. Soon we were well into the darkness. But it was diffrent with him, it appeared dark, but I could see everything, the leaves on the ground, the trees swaying in the breeze. My darkness, had become light, it was new and exciting. We road into a village, that I had never found in the darkness before, people with jet black hair, came out to greet us. The man helped me down from his horse, and the dark haired people came to me, and gave me hugs, and kisses on the forehead. For once, I was not afraid. The man lead me to his home, and feed me, and gave me drink. Showed me my place to sleep, and told me to sleep now, and all would be explained tomorrow. When I awoke, I found a rose by my head. I held it as I crawled out of my bed, and looked around his home. It was neat, and peaceful. I walked to the front door still holding my rose, and smelling it. I opened the door, and walked outside, the sun never felt so good. I no longer yurned for the darkness. I felt alive and free, I walked around freely with my head held high. The dark haired people smiled at me and bid me good day. I looked around for my savior, the man I had grown to love. I looked all around for him, then I saw him, hand in hand, with another darkhaired woman. The tears swelled in my eyes, as I saw how he looked at her.
I droped the rose and ran back to his home, and crawled back into bed crying. He must have seen me, because moments later he was by my side, holding the rose. He spoke to me in a soft voice. "My child what is the matter?" I looked at him with tears running down my face. And I told him..I love you I said, but you do not love me, you love that darkhaired girl, I saw it in your eyes. His face when blank, but he was in pain. He spoke again in soft words, " My child, I do love you." He wrapped his arms around me, and for the second time, I stuggled against his touch. But he held me until I could stuggle no more, and he told me that I was so young, and that yes he did love this woman. And for the first time, I realized that he was much older then myself. He told me, that no matter how much he loves this other woman, he would always love me, for he was now to be my father, and she my mother. I then felt, empty once again. He talked to me, but I shut him out, and would not talk to him. I just turned my head away from him, and held back the tears I so wanted to let go. And I cursed Maliki for sending this man to me. For sending me someone to love, then finding out, he would never love me as I did him. Finally he left me, and I cried myself to sleep. I awoke a little while later, to someone playing with my hair. I had hoped it was my love, but when I turned it wasn't him, but the woman he loved. I moved away from her quickly saying "noli me tangere" don't touch me. A look of sadness then crossed her face. "I am sorry my dear, Collen told me you were upset, and I came to see if I could help." I then realized the name Collen was the name of my love. "I don't want your help" I said to her with hate in my voice. Her face showed that my words hurt her, and I felt bad, because my love my did love her, and I didn't want to hurt someone he loved. She moved a little closer to me, "he does love you, you know. He loves you in a way that a father loves a child. He hasn't stoped talking about you since you two have returned" I though he does love me. "what's a father?" I asked her. She looked at me in suprise. "You don't know what a father is?" "No" I said. She moved closer to me, and wrapped her arm around me. I wanted to hate her and mover her arm away from me, but I couldn't I wanted to be held, and I realized she was as old as my Collen. "well, a father is someone that cares for you, and loves you, and tries not to let anyone harm you. A mother is also someone that loves you, and cares for you." She said "so my love, I mean Collen is to be my father. And you my mother. How is that to be when I love him." I ask with a questioning look. "All children love there fathers. I believe once your here a while, you will understand, that the love you feel for Collen, will fade and you will learn that you love him diffrently then you think." I was hurt by her answer, yet it made sence to me. "Come with me my dear, I have some people you may want to meet. How old are you anyways dear?" I hung my head, " I fear I don't know how old I am." "Well, you look about 10 years old, but I could be mistaken." She then took my hand and helped me off the bed, and we walked out of the house, and to another house. When we entered the house, the darkhaired people came over and greeted us, with hugs and kisses. I look around and there was my love, my Collen sitting in the chair. He looked at me and motioned me towards him. I then ran to him, and gave him a hug, and crawled up onto his lap. The darked woman he loves, smiled at us. "So, my child do you like Siarra?" I looked at him with a confussed look "Siarra?" "My love Siarra." He said. "Siarra is her name, I wish I was her so you would love me as you do her." "My sweet child" he said. "I will always love you as my child." I smiled sweetly at him, looking at him closer now, and relizing he was so much older then me, and realizing his Siarra was a beautiful woman. I quietly sighed. And was happy being close to him. Collen then intoduced me to Kara, and Satino, the older two darkhaired people, and stoped "you need a name, my dear child" He stoped to think for a while, "what did they call you?" meaning the people "cursed" I said, "well that won't do, we will call you Solus, have is that child?" "Solus" I said aloud, my voice sang, "what about solusRaven Papa?" I said without realizing it "where did you come up with the name Raven dear?" He asked suprised, "Well, Maliki calles me his little Raven, so I feel it's only fitting." "solusRaven it is." He said with a smile, Siarra looked at me and smiled also. "Well, solusRaven, I would like you to meet my son, Maliki" Said Kara, as she moved to the side, I saw him, Maliki, a boy with blue black hair the same color as mine, with a white strik on either side. My eyes widend, as I searched for my voice. I couldn't believe what my eyes saw, my Maliki, as a boy. Not much taller then myself. I blinked, and he just chuckled, and his voice echoed in my mind, "hello my little Raven." I couldn't breathe. My pet raven, my bird, my Maliki, was a boy, and he was standing, only a few paces away from me. He spoke to me in my mind again, "Let's leave these adults alone to talk." He walked over took my hand and let me out side. We start to walk towards the woods. "Why didn't you tell me you were you were....." I was lost of words. "Human?" he said with a grin. "Yes human" I said, he hung his head, " I didn't think you would believe me." He said, grin turning to a frown, I looked into his eyes and knew he was telling me the truth. "Oh!" was the only word that would come from my mouth. He smiled at me, "well, now your here, and everything will be better." I smiled at him, still a little awakward, seeing him as human. My life had been turned upside down, the one peson I thought could love, was to be my father, and my companion my bird, was a boy. His eyes sparkled as we walked though the woods, still holding my hand. We didn't speak, we didn't need to, Maliki knew me better then I knew myself. He had been my sanity, while with the people.
We walked to a river that had a beautiful water fall, and just sat there, listing to the birds sing, and the tress whistle in the brezze. We sat there until after dark, not saying a word. Walking back, Maliki let the way, he took me back to Collen, and Siarra's home, and when I walked in the door, they just smiled and I walked over and gave them a hug. "Why didn't you tell me Maliki, was a boy?" I looked at Collen while I asked this. " I didn't know you didn't know, until I saw your jaw drop when you saw him." He chuckled a little as he said this. His chuckle brought a smile to my face. Siarra's giggle joined in, which brought another smile to my face, and I again felt at peace. Siarra then got up from her seat, and went and got a plate of food and brought it over to me. " Here you go my dear, eat this." I smiled up at her, she was very beautiful and very kind, I could tell why Collen loved her so much. "Thank you!" I sat down and ate the food. "Well, my dear, tomorrow you start you lessons, so after that off to bed." Collen said. "What lessons?" I asked. He chuckled again, "you'll see" I finished eating and got ready for bed, Siarra brushed my hair, "You have such beautiful hair, Solus" I looked up at her amazed "I do?" "Yes you do, and were going to have to be carful when you get older your going to have them running after you." I smiled "Siarra, will I be as pretty as you some day?" Siarra smiled " Solus, your already more beautiful then me." " I am?" amazed. "You have a special gift, my dear. And you are very beautiful, and to think, your still so young." Siarra sighed, "It's time for bed little one, you have a long day tomorrow." She smiled and put the brush on the table next to my bed, and pulled the covers over me, and kissed me on the forehead, "Sweet dreams mel meum" "Sweet Dreams Siarra"........
The next day I woke up early, to the sound of voices in the other room. I put the cloths on that were layed on the end of my bed, they wern't like the cloths the people gave me to wear, it was nice. A pair of pants and a tonic, that fit. And walked into the other room. Siarra, and Papa were sitting at the table, and motioned me over, I handed Siarra the brush, "Would you please, brush my hair for me?" She smiled, and began to brush my hair "Of course my dear. Did you sleep well?" "Yes I did, so what am I going to learn today?" I looked at Papa and asked
"Your going to learn, how to use those little power you have inside you dear." "Powers? I have powers?" He chuckled, and looked at me " Yes dear, you do, very strong powers. Maliki has them too." "Maliki too?" "Yes Maliki too!" Papa said with a smile. " You mean being able to fly?" I asked curious. "Yes, that and others." "I have others? how do you know?" He looks at me, and smiles. "Your hair dear one, and your eyes speak louder then words." I pull a chunk of my hair and look at it, it has a tint of color, that Papa's and Siarra's doesn't. "who will teach me Papa?" He smiled again, "Kara will my child, now eat"
I smiled up at him, and went to eat the plate of food that was layed out for me. When I was finished, I walked over to Kara's home, and she meet me outside. " You ready child?" she asked with a smile. " I guess so, though I don't know what I'm ready for." She laughed, and led me into the house. Maliki smiled, as he saw me walk in, and I smiled back. We sat down, and Kara explained, that Maliki and I were special, that many would fear us, for the powers we had, fear us, and be jealous of us. She taught me that day how to speak to minds, as Maliki does to me. And also, how to heal things. I spent all day with Kara and Maliki learning. And spend many years over there learning more and more things. How to talk to animals, and to move things with my mind. She told me that, she only knew a few things, and that I would learn more as I grew up.
The years pasted like hours, soon I was all grown up, and Collen was now Papa, and Siarra was Mother. And as Siarra said, as time pasted, I would learn I loved Papa, as I did because he cared for me, and was the first person to show me love. Maliki, and I spent much time together during those years, learning everything there was to learn about the woods, and becoming closer friends then we had been. We never went anywhere without each other. And could just look at each other and know what each other was thinking. Then the horrible day came, Maliki and I were to go out into the world, "Papa, why do I have to leave you and mother?" Papa's face looked sad, "You have to solus, you can't hide here forever. Though I don't want you to go you must." I run to Papa, and tears fall from my eyes, and hug him. " I love you, Papa, you are still my savior." I can see tears in his eyes, and I look over at mother, tears are running down her face. I walk over and give her a hug. " I love you too, mother." Mother looks at Maliki, take care of her, please. " I will Siarra, I would never let anything happen to her." Maliki said, his voice now deep from growing up, his hair, pulled back in a pony tail. Reluctenly, I get on my horse, and follow Maliki, out of the darkness of the woods. Tears flowing from my eyes. I say to the mind of Papa and Mother, " I love you both dearly, and I will return." And soon they are out of sight. We ride for many days, and we come to a small town. We take lodging in a inn, and rest up for a few days. I bought some cloths, so I would fit in with the ladies of the town, which ment, a few dresses, and a black velvet cloak, which I embrotaled a raven on to. We then rode on, side by side, and came into a town, head's turned as people saw, our hair, and unatural colors. We had trouble finding lodging, but the King of the area, let us stay in the castle, and dine with him. The King made sure, Maliki, and I were as far away from each other as possible. The King sent woman, to do Maliki's biding, and the King himself saw to my needs. We spent many days there, the King was flattering, but the more and more he persoed me, the more I realized I was in love with Maliki, the more and more the King kept us seperated, the more and more I longed to be with him, and be home, with Papa and mother, and walking in the woods with Maliki. Days turned to weeks, and I no longer was able to see Maliki, the King would not allow it. Then one day the King, said I was furbiden to see Maliki, if I tried, Maliki would be killed. I talked to Maliki only in my mind, and I told him he must leave, before somthing happend to him, of course he refused, but in the end I convinced him it was for the best. So he left, weeks pasted then the King asked me to marry him, when I refused he became infurated, and told me that I would, or I would die. I decided, that night I would leave. So that night, I disappeared, into the night, wearing commener cloths.
I turned into a raven and flew for days at a time, I stoped at The Theatre des Vampires, and LadyArianna and her love who I call friends, hide me for a few days. That is where I am heading back to now, I'm going to stay with her and pray my Maliki, will come there. I feel him close, but that maybe only because I long for his return.
solus, looks up at you, her eyes, are tired. Her story now complete. She bids you goodnight, and takes her cloak and curls up and goes to sleep. When you awake in the morning she is gone, all you find is a Raven feather placed in your hand.
