In Another Life... (UC,Mi/L,MATURE) Part 15 - 8/26/09 [WIP]

[ukkiwiangel]

Title: In Another Life You Were Mine

Disclaimer: All character's belong to Melinda Metz and Jason none of them belong to me. The story idea is mine. The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended

Summary: What if Liz was more connected to the royal four than first thought. Starts off after Destiny then goes AU.

Pairing: Michael/Liz

Rating: Mature

Destiny: the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future, the hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future.

They were the royal four. I’d denied it for months. Argued with Larek, screamed at him that it couldn’t be them. That they’d recognise me. That he’d recognise me. I’d argued that there were only three of them so they couldn’t possibly be the royal four...then Tess turned up, the fourth and still I argued what in my gut I knew had to be true...Larek calmly, soothingly insisted it must be them while I shook my head and said it was just a coincidence that there were four of them. It had to be. He’d remember me otherwise. Larek patiently, quietly, slowly told me this is how he’d wanted it...it was his way of ensuring my safety. And still I denied it. Deny. Deny. Deny. I was shot and Max Evans put his hand on my skin and magically it was healed. He had the power of the King. Isabel could see into the mind just as Vilandra could. Michael was the protector. Tess could make a person believe whatever she wanted them to believe. Deny. Deny. Deny. Until now. Until this moment when a vision of Max and Isabel’s mother stood before us telling us their undeniable fate. Their destiny. They were the royal four. I had to get away. Flee. Flee. No good could come of entangling myself with the royal four. With the king. I was just a girl as I was before. Except it wasn’t the king I was entangled with...not like now. I didn’t want to be entangled but he just wouldn’t let me go. Max grabbed onto my arm and I listened as he spouted about how nothing had changed and how I was still his destiny. I wanted to scream that he was wrong...I wasn’t his...I never was. I fleetingly looked past him at Michael, looked away hoping no one saw that little look. I ripped myself free of Max’s grasp and ran as fast as I could. I had to get away. The royal four.


The door banged against the wall as I slammed it open and the displays on the walls rattled. “You were right. It’s them.”
Larek looked up from his cheeseburger, raised an eyebrow. “The royal four? Why am I not surprised? I’m not one to tell you I told you so...but I told you so.”
I paced the length of the room and glared at him. “Don’t be so flippant, Larek. Do you know how much it hurts me to know that the love of my life doesn’t love me in this life...doesn’t even remember me. It was bad enough when before I thought there was a possibility it was them...but to have definite proof...how am I supposed to see them everyday and it not hurt?”
He smiled condesendingly at me, “Well, Elizabeth, that’s not something you’ll have to worry about for long. Pack your things...we’re moving.”
“What?! What about my parents, my friends, my life?”
“I had orders...”
“Screw the orders, he’s dead, his orders don’t matter!”
“He is not dead. He may not remember that life but his orders still remain and those orders were to ensure you were kept well away from the royal four in this life. I’ve indulged your childish denial but enough is enough.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Don’t pull the protector card with me, Larek, I still out rank you, I was married to him remember?”
He bowed his head slightly, “As you wish your highness. Here we will stay, but the slightest hint of danger and we leave, understood?”
I nodded eagerly, knowing I’d won this round.

[ukkiwiangel]

Note:Thanks so much for the feedback.

Part Two:

“So, the four square, the dreams, Tess was right they were all destined to be together?”
I looked at Alex with those eyes of his telling me, begging me to tell him it wasn’t true, that it couldn’t possibly be true, that the love of his life belonged with him. Sorry, Alex, I can’t tell that lie. I’ve lived that lie. Twice.
I nodded somberly as both he and Maria looked at me, watched me, waited for something....something more....tears or screaming or a reaction of any kind. But I was done. There were no more tears to be shed. Silence clung to the air and tainted it with tension. Tears streamed down Maria’s face, she threw her arms in the air in frustration, “That’s it. A nod. Can’t you tell us there’s a fine print clause somewhere in all of this?” I slouched down in the booth as she shrieked at me and her shrieking bounced off the walls of the empty cafe, “He told me he loved me. He said he loved me too much. How could he say that to me if his heart belonged to someone else?!”
I avoided eye contact as an impulse to scream back at her flooded me. I wanted to scream at her that before he said those words to her, before he gave his heart to her, to Vilandra, he’d already given it to me. In another life he was mine.
“In another life you’ll be mine. But not this one. I’d die for you. I will die for you.” He raised my hand to his lips and pressed a tender kiss to the palm, “In another life, Elizabeth.”
I squeezed my eyes shut in the hopes of forcing away that memory. A tear clung to my lashes and slid down my cheek as I slowly opened my eyes and met Maria’s stormy green gaze. “I have to go.” I fumbled out of the booth. I had to get away from them. I had to get away.

“Ellie...”
I looked up from the intricate buttons of Vilandra’s ceremonial dress. Her wedding dress. The dress she would marry my husband. Husband in our hearts but not in practise. Not in reality “Yes, Princess?”
“He doesn’t love me.”
A sharp pang pierced my heart as her doe eyes stared at me with a vulnerabilty she’d never shown before.
“I can’t do this, Ellie.” She was faltering. The Princess never faltered. Oh, god, I had to lie to her. Lie and make it a good one.
“Yes you can. You love him, don’t you?”
Her gaze flittered away from mine for a second then back again, “Yes, of course.” Was it just me or was that hesitation? I mentally shook myself.
“Well, then you can do this.”
“His heart belongs to another, I can feel it.”
“You can do this, Vilandra, you will do this. You love him, he cares for you, the rest will come...and this other, he’ll forget her."

I shook my head violently trying to rid myself of things I didn’t want to remember. Just walk, Liz, one foot in front of the other. Where was I going? Where could I go? I tried to force my thoughts away as I walked aimlessly around.

“Elizabeth.” He peered down at me as we walked, I was conscious of the fact he shouldn’t be walking beside me, “That’s your name, Elizabeth?”
I kept my mouth shut. I was a servant. A human servant, I shouldn’t talk to a member of the royal four. It was forbidden. So, I said nothing. I managed to get slightly ahead but was pulled back by a hand clamped tightly around my arm, “Hey, are you ignoring me?”
I shook my head, my hair flying around my face.
“You’re not ignoring me. So, speak.”
I stared down at my feet, a finger and thumb clutched my chin, tilting it up to stare into the most incredible pair of caramel-brown eyes, “Hey, listen, Vilandra’s insisted I escort you to pick up this goddamn dress, the least you could do is talk to me.”
I stepped back, he sighed as I pushed his hand away. I stepped back, forcing a small distance between us and held out my hand, “I’m Elizabeth.”
He stared at my hand with a frown. I sighed and whispered softly, “It’s a human custom, your highness, a form of introduction, you put your hand in mine and we shake.”
He placed his hand tentatively in mine, almost as if he thought something bad would happen, as if I could do anything to him.
I smiled ever so slightly at his cooperation, “I’m Elizabeth.”
“And I’m Rath.”

[ukkiwiangel]

Hi everybody thanks so much for your comments and feedback. This is just a short part. A friend of mine's mother recently passed away of cancer so I've been busy supporting my friend and helping her. Cancer is a subject that is close to my heart as five years ago my mother died of cancer. My friend has encouraged me to start writing about that experience in the hopes that it will help other people so please check out the first part of that at my blog: http://kiwiangeluk.blogspot.com/ thanks and now onto the story, hope you like it:

Running away wasn’t nescessairly what I did....it was more of a removing myself from the situation type thing. I had to get away from the royal fucking four....and Larek. So...ok, fine. I ran away. Florida wasn’t much of a reprieve. It wasn’t far enough away. For three months my only contact with Roswell was Maria. And she was firmly pleading Max’s case. Going about how much he loved me and missed me and was willing to throw his destiny away for me. And she was also whining about Michael and why he couldn’t be more like Max. At one point in her ranting I was seriously considering telling her she could have Max, he was hers for the taking. But I managed to keep my mouth shut. I was good at that. Years and years of practice.

So with three months of listening to the broken record of the tune of Max misses you it came no surprise that the first thing Maria said to me on the way home from the airport was: “Max misses you.”
Did I miss Max? Yeah. Of course I did, he’d saved my life. But ever since his mother had appeared every time I looked at him all I saw was Zan. Now, Zan I didn’t miss. It was all too confusing.
The crashdown, how I’d missed it and when I walked into the closed cafe there they all were throwing me a welcome home party. It seemed strange how this close knit group managed to divide themselves. The four royal aliens stood together; Max intensely, broodingly staring at me, Isabel smiled tentatively at me and I caught a glimpse of the princess who had befriended me so long ago. The venomous look Tess shot my way didn’t go unnoticed. And Michael....Michael was his usual indifferent self. He didn’t care either way...until I could become useful. Maria planted herself firmly beside Max - it was clear they’d become new best buddies, bonding over their joint heartbreak and pain. Then there were Alex and Kyle standing awkwardly, slightly away and me. Silence washed over this group that really had nothing in common besides a shared secret. The tension was palpable. Until.... “Tess’s daddy is dead.”

And hello, I was back in the Alien Abyss. Welcome home Liz. Tess glared at Michael, “He’s not my daddy.”
I sighed; “What happened to him?”
Michael shrugged and was it just me or did he avoid my gaze, his eyes flittering to any spot but me; “Our enemies, would be my guess. We call them the skins...because well they shed their skin.”
Isabel rolled her eyes at Michael’s explaination and carried on; “They can’t hold their form for too long. But they killed him. They’re powerful. Maybe more powerful than us.”
She looked so sad, so defeated, I wanted to go over, hug her and tell her everything would be alright. Like I used to.

“Nobody is more powerful than you, you’re the royal four.” I regreted it as soon as the words left my mouth. Michael’s gaze finally landed on me and his eyes narrowed suspiciously but he kept his mouth shut while everyone ignored my comment. I shifted uncomfortably, forced a smile, “You know what guys, I’m um, gonna go get out of these airplane clothes.”

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I got as far as the back room before a large warm hand clamped around my arm and the flashes started.

Me trying to teach Rath to milk a cow. Rath blowing up a rock behind me when we argued. Me laughing at something he said. Rath pointing out earth to me. Rath and I arguing. Rath slamming me into a wall moments before his lip crashed into mine.

A tear slid down my cheek as my eyes slowly opened and meet his. I stumbled back as he roughly let me ago.

“We need to talk.” He ground out between clenched teeth and I had no doubt he’d just seen everything I had. Maybe more.

I spun on my heel and raced up the stairs, knowing perfectly well he was a step behind me. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

He grabbed my arm and slammed into the wall of my bedroom; “Who the hell are you, Liz?”

I shook my head, pulled away and walked into my room, hoping he’d leave. He didn’t.

“I’m no one. I’m just a girl.”

“You’re just a girl? Apparently, you’re just a girl I used to make out with. You’re an alien.”

“No. I’m just a human girl.” He looked doubtful and I stepped up to him, “Please, Michael, just let it go, it’s not important. It wasn’t meant to be.”

He reached up and scratched his eyebrow, a move that was so heartwrenchingly Rath. “Were we in love. Did I love you, Liz?”

Lie. Lie. Lie. “No. Michael. It wasn’t love. I was just someone you used when you had an itch you needed to scratch. I was human.”

[ukkiwiangel]

Part Four:

I felt like Cinderella. The rags girl dressed up for one night only. Why Vilandra was insisting upon this...who knew but what the princess wanted, well, the princess got. Apparently, Princess wanted me to tag along with her and Rath to the Royal Ball. I was wearing one of her dresses - very Cinderella-esque, my chocolate locks curled with just a touch of Vilandra’s hand. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. This was a bad idea. Bad plan. Just bad all around. I stared at the image of myself and couldn’t believe that the girl staring back was really me. A banging on the door had me jumping out of my daze and going to stand slightly behind Vilandra as she pulled the door open.
“Rath you’re late.” The Princess icily stated. I frowned, I’d never heard that tone in her voice, she never spoke to me like that...and I was a servant.
“Goodevening to you too, Princess.”
Vilandra ignored the sarcasm in his voice and waved a hand in my direction, “You remember Elizabeth.”
Rath’s head tilted as he looked passed Vilandra and appraised me with a smirk, I dropped down and back up in a quick curtsy. A blush reddened my cheeks as he winked at me; “Well, ladies shall we get this masacre on the road?”
I fought back a giggle at his description of the evening. Vilandra’s glare turned almost murdurous, “It’s not a masacre, it’s a ball. And it’s our royal duty to attend.”
Rath raised his eyebrows in my direction, “Really? Elizabeth is it your royal duty to go?”
I dropped my eyes to the floor.
“Leave her alone, she’s my guest.”
“She’s a servant.”
“Don’t be an arse and not tonight she’s not.” I looked up just in time to see Vilandra shove Rath out the door with the flick of her wrist. Vilandra grinned at me as he stumbled back slightly.


I tossed and turned in bed as I tried to get to sleep. Tried and failed. I pushed my palms into my eyes in the hopes that I could push away the flashes, visions, memories of a life lived and gone. It wasn’t working. It hurt. My heart hurt. Add to that the fact that Michael now knew that he’d known me before. Flashes in waking and dreams in sleeping. I couldn’t get away. My head was throbbing. I groaned in agony as another flash of memory hit me....

The ballroom was beautiful and I’d never been surrounded my so many important people in my life. But I had to get away it was all too much, I didn’t belong there. As I made my way through the dancing crowds to the exit, my eyes were drawn to the area where the King and his Queen were seated. I gasped and flittered my eyes away as his gaze met mine. I rushed out the door into the chilly night air. It was a beautiful gardened area with stone seats littered through the maze of greenery and flowers and I couldn’t help wondering if earth had anything like it. I guessed I’d never know. I slowly, carefully sat down on one of the seats and stared at the sky. At the millions of stars or planets and wondered which one was earth.
“It’s a beautiful night.” I jumped as the voice interupted my thoughts. I rushed to my feet and curtseyed.
He laughed slightly, “You don’t have to do that every time you see me, Elizabeth.”
I nodded and tentatively sat back down, he walked around the seat and sat next to me, a little too close to me.
“So, what are we looking at?”
I shuffled to the left slightly, Rath shouldn’t be sitting that close to me. “I’m just wondering which one is earth.”
“Ah, well, that’s easy,” He’d leaned closer to me and pointed at a star with his finger, “See that one right there? That’s earth.”
I squinted, trying to see it better but to me it just looked like a tiny little star. A sparkling star, but still just a star. Disappointment rushed over me. I expected so much more.
“What’s it like. Earth?”
I shrugged, “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I’ve never been there. My mother was taken....brought to Antar when she was pregnant with me. I was born here.”
“Didn’t your mother ever tell you what it was like. Tell you where you were from?”
I shook my head; “No. She died giving birth to me. I was raised to be the Princess’s servant. That’s all I know.”
He nodded as if he understood what it was like to not know where you were from or essentially who you were, “If you could would you ever go back?”
“Yeah. If I could but it’s just not possible.”
He reached out and tucked a curl behind my ear, his fingers brushing my cheek and lingering; “Nothing’s completely impossible. I tell you what, one day, I promise, I’ll take you home.”
“You shouldn’t make promises you don’t intend to or can’t possibly keep.”
He leaned closer, his lips almost touching my ear and whispered; “I never do.”

I groaned and slid down the wall in the break room, somehow hours had passed and I’d managed to make my way downstairs and I was vaguely aware of the fact that they were all there as a wave of agony sharply hit my head and tears fell rapidly from my eyes.
“Liz!” Maria rushed forward and I cringed at the volume of her voice. Alex crouched down in front of me.
“Lizzie?” His tones were more hushed and I silently thanked him with my eyes. Maria’s panicked eyes flew over me, then she looked over her shoulder at the alien portion of the group and shrieked, “What the hell’s wrong with her?!”
They all looked as confused and concerned as each other....all except that is Michael. He scratched his eyebrow and stepped forward with a sigh. I met his gaze which was firmly fixed on me and begged him not to say anything. “She’s having flashes. Memories. Of Antar.”
“What?!” I groaned at Isabel’s shriek.
“Izzie.” Alex softly warned.
“How is that possible?” Tess spoke softly but her voice still grated on my nerves.
“She was there.”
“She’s an alien?” I could picture Isabel’s face, the face of Vilandra, the one person who always treated me with kindness, the face of confusion.
Michael shook his head, “No, she’s human. She was a servant.”
Max stepped forward, eyeing Michael suspiciously, always the suspicious king, “And how do you know all this?”
“Because I’m getting the same flashes she is. Only difference is they’re hurting her.”
In more ways than one. Max frowned, “Well, I can help her.” He knelt down in front of me, pushing aside Alex and Maria. He reached out a hand and touched me. His hand on my skin felt like it was burning. I yelped and flinched back. He reached out again, I flinched back even further. Kyle stepped forward and pulled Max back.
“Kyle, let me go, I can help her.”
“You’re hurting her, man.”
They all stared at me, a loss for what to do. It just hurt.
“Move aside, children.” Larek. I released a sigh of relief.
“Who the hell are you?” Michael grated out through clenched teeth as he stepped up protectively ready to protect me if need be. Some things never changed. Larek knelt in front of me, “I’m her protector, the one you assigned, Rath.”
Isabel gasped, Maria released a sob. Michael cursed under his breath.
“Elizabeth, open your eyes.”
“It hurts. They’re coming too fast.”
Larek put a hand on either side of my head, “I know. I know but you have to open your eyes.”
I shook my head. I couldn’t. “I can’t.”
“Let me try.” A new voice said, as a hand gently landed on my arm, “Liz open your eyes.”
My eyes flew open and I met the intense gaze of Michael as Larek massaged my temples, relieving the pain and tension that rested there.
“Too much stress, Elizabeth, we should have left when I said. I should have insisted. I should have followed Rath’s orders. I was supposed to keep you away from the royal four, you weren’t supposed to live this life twice, entangled with them.”
The pain subsided. He’d worked his magic, I shakily pushed him away, “We’re not leaving, Larek.” I softly but firmly insisted, “This is my home. This is my life.”
He stood up, stared down at me, “You’re holding onto a life, people who don’t exist anymore. They’re children now, Elizabeth, they’re not the ones you love so much.”
I shakily stood up, “We’re not leaving. I’m not leaving.”
“You’re condemning yourself to death. Again. And for what?"
“I’m not leaving.” We stared at each other and I knew I’d win. He nodded, “As you wish, your highness.”
Silence over took the room as we all watched him leave. Max ran his hand through his hair. “Well, someone had better start explaining.”
“Let it go, Maxwell. Maybe you don’t need to know.” Thank you Michael.
“I’m king, apparently, Michael. That means I have a right to know. I demand to know.”
Exhausted, angrily, I rose my eyes to glare at Max, “You may be King, Max, but it’s my story to tell and I don’t want to tell you.”
“I’m sorry, Liz but you were on Antar and I demand you tell me.”
He was trying to order me? He had some nerve, if looks could kill he’d be dead a thousand times over, “I was on Antar. And you were King. But you were never my King and you never will be. I never served you.”
I turned and started to walk up the stairs, gripping the rail tightly as I heard Tess ask Max if he was going to just let me talk to him like that. I got to the third step when a soft voice said; “So, don’t tell him. Tell me.”
It was a voice I could never defy, could never ignore, even when I wanted to. I turned and looked at Isabel, the image of Vilandra and in that moment I could almost believe that nothing had changed, that she was still the girl who had shown me so much kindness who had treated me as more than a servant, treated me like a friend, a sister.
I held her gaze, avoided everyone else’s. I couldn’t tell this story if I looked at Maria or Alex or Kyle and saw how betrayed they felt.
“I was human. Antarians abducted my mother when she was pregnant with me, she died in child birth and I was raised to serve. I was a servant.”
Isabel shook her head, “Why wouldn’t you say this when Max asked? Why would you any talk when I told you to?”
I looked away, heard her soft gasp, a gasp of relisation, “You were my servant?”
“Yes.”
“Oh dear god.” No use asking for God on this one, Max, he won’t help.
Isabel ignored him, “Were we close? Were we friends?”
I choked back a sob, “Yes.”
“Closer than you and Maria?” Don’t ask me that, Isabel. I met Maria’s gaze and tried to apologise with my eyes.
“Yes.” I’m so sorry Maria. Maria choked back a sob as tears rolled down her cheeks, Alex wrapped an arm around her and looked at me shocked. Sorry, Alex.
“What about Max and Tess, were you close to them too?”
I looked at Max, him looking watching me with those damn puppy dog eyes of his. Sorry, Max.
“No.”
“And Michael? Were you close to him? Where does he fit into all this?”
I shook my head, hair flying everywhere, “Don’t ask me that, Isabel.”
“Oh my god!” We all turned our heads towards Maria’s shrieking outburst. I held my breath. Maria stared at me, tears rolling down her cheeks, making tracks. Alex tilted his head, “‘Ria?”
“They....they...they were together.” She was looking at me as if I’d betrayed her. Maybe I had. Max started to laugh; “Michael and Liz? That’s ridiculous.”
I remained silent and my silence seemed to put a stop to any humour Max found in the idea. Max looked between me and Michael, who looked about as guilty as I felt; “You and Michael?”
I shook my head and kept my gaze locked on Maria who was being held up and comforted by Alex, “It was another life.”
“You and Michael?” I wondered if Max thought if he kept saying it it would make it less real.
“Yes, Maxwell, we’ve established it was me and Liz.”
Tess looked at Michael in what could only be described as disgust; “But she’s just a human.”
I choked back a giggle. Tess turned her glare onto me, “How is this funny, Liz?”
“It’s really not, it’s just that’s not the first time you’ve told him I’m just a human.”
I smirked as Kyle snorted back a laugh. Maria sobbed and stamped her foot; “Stop laughing! I’ve just been told that the love of my life was really the love of my best friend’s life! And that my best friend has lived before. On an alien planet! It’s not fucking funny!”
And the guilt pushed it’s way back in as silence settled back in.
“She’s us.”
“What, Iz?”
“She’s us. The uncertainty of who we are, where we’re from, our family? She had that uncertainty before. She’s us. She knows exactly how it feels to be alien.”
Maria pulled away from Alex, walked up to me and stood in front of me; “Did you love him?”
I stared at her, Maria, my beautiful friend who had always been there for me and I contemplated whether or not I should lie to her. To all of them. Lie and make it good. But I couldn’t quite do that. They were all waiting for this answer.
“Yes.” I knew it was coming before it did. Maria’s palm connected hard with my cheek, sending a new round of tears forming. She turned her back and walked out the door. Alex looked at me, torn, then came to stand in front of me, I raised my eyes to met his, he reached out and wiped one of the many tears away, “Good bye, Lizzie.” And then he was gone, after Maria. I sobbed and sank down to sit on the step. I’d just lost two of my best friends forever. I clung onto the railing and sobbed as the others stood and watched me.

[ukkiwiangel]

Part 5:

“I have to marry her, Ellie. I’m a solider, it’s my duty to keep peace. I have to keep the royal four together.”
“You don’t love her. You love me. You bonded with me.”
He pushed me away roughly, laughed at me bitterly; “Love? You think this is about love?” A finger ran down my cheek, “It’s never been about love. You’re a servant girl. A human servant girl. You were convenient. You’re nothing more than my whore.”
I wrapped my arms around myself, hugging myself as I suppressed a sob. I wouldn’t let him see how much he was hurting me. A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek. My body was betraying me. He reached out to brush it away, I jerked away from me.
“Don’t fucking touch me.”
“Ellie...”
“No! No. You don’t get to call me your whore then touch me like you care. Like I mean something to you.”
“Baby...”
“No. We’re done, Rath. Go marry your Princess. Just....just leave me alone.”
He stood there and stared at me as if he wanted to say something more...do something more...touch me one last time...but he didn’t. He nodded, defeated, turned and strode away. I watched him walk away.
“That was intense.” I turned my head at the sound of Tess’s voice and saw the four of them, Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess staring at me. They were in my subconsicous. Isabel had dream walked me. I decided to ignore them as my mind talk me to the next stop on the tour of memory lane. I obviously wasn’t waking up anytime soon, so I might as well go with it.
I was standing in the middle of a field, Rath standing opposite me, and he was obviously pissed off. My mind was putting all these memories out of sync.
“She’s pissed him off.” I glared at Tess, what was she the running commentary?
Rath stalked towards me, using his height to intimidate me. I wasn’t intimidated. Much. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
“I was thinking that I was told we needed a new cow. Today was as good as any to get one.”
“You can’t just take off whenever you like without telling anyone.”
“Why? Because I’m just a lowly human servant girl?”
“No. Because it’s not fucking safe!”
“Why would anyone want to hurt me, I’m just a servant.”
“Vilandra was worried. I was worried.”
I scoffed at him, “What do you care?” I tried to brush passed him but he grabbed me by the arm and spun me back around; “I care.”
He stared down at me, his touch heating up my skin and making it tingly. He shouldn’t be touching me. And he knew it.
“Fuck it.” He muttered and he yanked me up against him a split second before his lips came crashing down onto mine. It took me a moment to react and then I was on my tip toes, kissing him back. My arms went up around his neck as one of his wrapped around my waist and the other hand cradled my head. I vaguely heard Max’s grumbling, Tess’s gasp and Isabel softly stating, “That’s one hell of a kiss.” at the same as Michael simply stating, “Damn.”
Damn was right. My head spun as my mind shifted right onto the next memory, the royal purveyors in tow.
“Ellie, I’m in love.” My heart constricted as Vilandra gushed. Isabel gasped at seeing the mirror image of herself; “That’s me.” She whispered. I ignored her and concentrated on my version of Vilandra.
“That’s good...that’s great...you should be in love with your husband.”
Did that sound convincing enough? Did I lie and make it believable? I couldn’t tell.
Vilandra whirled at me, clutching me, “No. not Rath. Never Rath. Kihvar.” She almost swooned as she sat on the edge of the bed. Kihvar? Who the hell was Kihvar? No.
“Kihvar? Vilandra, as your enemy? As in the person vying for the crown?”
She waved me off, “Oh, don’t be so dramatic. It’s romantic. It’s like that little human book you’ve to me...what it is? Romeo and Judiette?”
“Romeo and Juliet. And they die in the end.”
But she wasn’t listening she was already on a tangent, “What’s that line? ‘My only love sprung from my only hate’ It’s just beautiful.”
She slowly disappeared as that memory shifted into the next; I was shaking, covered in blood. I looked over at the four visiting my subconscious, they looked terrified. “Whose blood is that?” Michael asked staring at my shaking, blood stained hands.
A powerful hand pressed against my stomach, pushing me back into a room, slamming the door behind him, “Ellie, calm down. I need you to calm down.”
Tears streaming down my face, I stared up at him, “Calm down! Rath, I just held Vilandra, dying in my arms. How can I calm down!” I was hysterical. Two strides and he was grasping my face in his hands; “I know, baby, I know, but I need you to listen to me. Can you do that for me?”
I stared into his eyes and saw the strain embedden in them. I slowly nodded, he wiped a tear away with his thumb, caressing my cheek for a moment, then releasing me. I wrapped my arms around myself.
“Vilandra betrayed us, Ellie. Kihvar made her false promises and now we’ll all die. Her love will kill us. But we will live again. You will live again.”
I shook my head; “What are you talking about?”
“You remember when I promised you I’d take you home? I’d take you back to earth?”
“Yes, but what...”
“I’ve found a way to do it, Ellie, to capture our essenses and make us live again, on earth.”
“That’s not possible. Reincarnation, Rath? How...how did you do this?”
“Don’t ask me how I did it...just accept it. I can’t save you now, but I will make sure you live again....that you live the life you deserve, free of all this crap.”
“What if...what if on earth we’re separated?”
He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, smiled sadly; “I’ll find you. I’ll look for you forever if I have to.”
“What if you don’t remember me? Know me?”
“Ellie, if I didn’t remember you, I’d always know you. You’re mine. Nothing will change that. I love you.”
Before I could say it back he’d pulled me in for a soul shaking, heart breaking kiss, a kiss tainted with my tears, he pulled away, walked backwards to the door, blew me a last kiss; “Bye, baby.” And then he was gone.

[ukkiwiangel]

Part 6:

A sob that wasn’t mine broke the earthshattering silence. Tess was standing there, tears making tracks down her cheeks. She was crying for me. Tess. The queen who thought nothing more of me than she would a piece of gum on her shoe was crying for me. In two strides I was in front of Isabel, grasping her arms tightly; “I need to wake up. Now. I need you to make me wake up.”
She winced maybe I was hurting her. Maybe I didn’t care.
“I...I can’t.” She stammered. She looked at me with those eyes of hers, eyes that had once looked at me with affection but now looked at me with pity. I nodded, of course she couldn’t . She was Vilandra, but she wasn’t at the same time. I let her go and backed away from her. From them.
“What now, Liz? How long do you stay in this room?” Max gently pushed.
I shrugged; “Rath used his powers to seal me in, it’s impossible for me to leave.”
“When does the seal break?”
I looked at them standing there in my dream, my memory of a life we’d all lived before and realised they using me and my heart ache to put the pieces of their past together.
“When he dies. The seal breaks when you’re all dead.”
“So, what? We just cool our heals and wait?”
I met his gaze for the first time; “Yeah, Michael, we wait.”
I counted the minutes as I stared at the door as I had the first time round. Turned out we didn’t have to wait long. I backed away as the door flew open and the man I never wanted to see again strode in. He was handsome, there was no denying it. I could see what Vilandra saw in him. Except for the part where he was pure evil. He smiled at me, a sinister smile that made me shiver. “Elizabeth.”
I kept my mouth shut. He smirked and circled around me like an animal circling it’s prey. “Aren’t you going to bow before your King, Elizabeth?”
“You’re not my king. You’re a murderer.”
He tsked at me, “Come now, Elizabeth, what’s that human saying, ‘all’s fair in love and war’.”
“What you did wasn’t fair. She loved you and you...you betrayed her, because of you she’s dead.”
“And I loved her. I never wanted her to die, she got caught in the crossfire. We could have reigned together but she loved that idiot of a brother too much for her own good.”
“That still makes you a murderer.”
“And you’re Rath’s whore. We all have our labels to wear.”
I flinched as he ran a finger down my cheek. He chuckled, “Now, now Elizabeth, don’t be like that. He tried so hard to protect you, but he failed didn’t he? I could never see what he saw in you. A human servant girl. But looking at you now, you’re almost uniquely beautiful. I could give you the world, what do you say?”
“I’d rather die first.”
“You already did, remember? Oh don’t look so shocked. Yes, I’m really here, infusing myself into your dream. You’ve got the perfect little human life now don’t you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come now, Elizabeth, let’s not play that game. I know what Rath did. Capturing the essence of you five and sending you to earth. It really is rather romantic. So, tell me Elizabeth, where are they?”
“I don’t know.”
Before I could fully grasp what was going on, he’d backhanded me across the face, “Don’t treat me as if I’m stupid. Rath would do anything for you...to find you. After all, he did promise you he would.”
“You’d be stupid to believe everything Rath said. He never was very good at keeping promises.”
I whimpered as he gripped harshly gripped my chin, “I know you know where they are, so here’s the deal, Elizabeth, I’ll give you forty-eight hours to tell me. If you do, I’ll take them and let you live. If you don’t...then you’ll die and I’ll enjoy killing you almost as much as I did the first time.” He roughly kissed my cheek, “Now be a good girl and wake up.”

[ukkiwiangel]

Part 7:

I bolted upright in bed, sweating and two thoughts popped through my head, the royal fucking four had dream walked me. And that Kihvar was anything but a dream. He was really there. I got up and dressed hastily. I climbed out my window and down my fire escape, raced across town and barged into the apartment without knocking. The door banged as it bounced off the wall. They looked up at me startled. They all looked awful; Max looked wary, Tess’s face was blotchy from the tears she’d obviously been crying, Michael was sitting, elbows resting on his knees, head in his hands. And Isabel...Isabel’s skin was for too pale. But I didn’t care about that as I started pacing in front of them; “How dare you! What makes you think you have the right to invade my privacy and just waltz into my dreams!” I whirled and halted Max’s words with just a point of my finger, “And don’t you dare give me that ‘I’m the king, I’m the king’ shit, Max. There was a line and you four crossed it. I’ve been right in front of you for years and now suddenly you want answers? Doesn’t work like that.”
“We just wanted...needed to know where we’re from, Liz, what happened.”
“You needed to know. Right. I forgot what the royal fucking four want they get. No matter the cost to everyone else.”
“That’s not true.”
“Whatever, Isabel, just stay the hell out of my dreams.”
I was almost at the door when it flew shut, I spun on my heel and glared at Michael.
“Can’t let you leave, Liz, not until you’ve told us what you’re planning to do.”
“About what?”
Michael stalked towards me, standing tall, it was an intimidation tactic, one I was very familiar with, “About Kihvar, Liz. He wasn’t just a dream, he was actually there.”
I smiled sadly, “Don’t worry, Michael, I’m very good at keeping my mouth shut. I died for you once, I’ll do it again.” And without a second glance I turned, pulled the door open and left the building.

I walked around Roswell for a while, I contemplated going to see Maria but I knew I wouldn’t be welcome, knew she wouldn’t want to see me, so I continued walking. I warily climbed up my fire escape and practically fell through the open window, as I straightened up, I let out a slight scream at the broody figure perched on the end of my bed. “What are you doing here?”
He stared at me, studying me. He was starting to creep me out. I watched him watch me and waited. I didn’t have to wait long.
“The first time I saw you, there was something familiar about you. Like I should know you but I didn’t. Max was obsessed with you. So we watched you. He wasn’t right for you, there was just something there telling me instinctively. Then you were shot and you got pulled into all this alien shit and I felt protective of you, like I needed to keep you alive. And you’d look at me with this complete trust as if I were capable of saving us all.” He paused, scratched his eyebrow, stood up, closed the gap between us, “Tell him where we are, Liz. Save yourself. Live. Forget about us. Have the life I obviously wanted you to have.” His hand brushed my face and he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, “Just live.” He brushed passed me.
I spun around just as he was at the window, straddling the sill, “And how do the other three feel about you telling me to hand you over to the enemy?”
He shrugged, “They’ll get over it. I can’t let you die because of us. Not again.”
“It doesn’t matter what I tell him. If he wants me dead, he’ll kill me anyway.”
“Nobody’s gonna kill you, Liz. We won’t let them. I won’t let them.”
And in that moment I could almost forget he didn’t remember me. In that one moment I almost saw Rath. My Rath. And then the moment was gone.
“Look, Liz, I know we don’t remember you and I get that you don’t want to remember. That it hurts too much. I get that. But you know things that we can’t about Kihvar...so if you feel like you can face us after we invaded your subconcisous, then you know where we are.”

[ukkiwiangel]

Part 8:

I knew what had just happened I wasn’t stupid. I knew what they’d done. The divide and conquer thing. They’d sent Michael over to...divide and conquer. To sweet talk me. They weren’t stupid, they’d seen into my mind, they knew in this life and any other there were only two people that I couldn’t resist. The second in command and the princess. They’d gone with the second in command and he’d stood there and said all the right things. I’d been perfectly manipulated. And I knew it. It was an old trick, one Rath had used time and time again. Manipulation was the key. I knew I should resist the perfect manipulation. But he’d said all the right things. Pacing was therapuatic. It helped me think. Michael was right, I knew things they couldn’t because they simply didn’t remember. For the second time that night, I grabbed a jacket and climbed out my window, walked across town to Michael’s apartment. This time I knocked. They were the royal four after all. You could take the girl out of the service but you couldn’t take the service out of the girl. The door opened and I was face to face with Tess. She moved aside and let me in, I walked in and stopped in front of the couch; “Kihvar’s powers include, going into a person’s dream. He can touch you once and boom! you’re dead,” I paused for effect, “Oh, and he can thrall you.”
Tess suppressed a giggle, Isabel quirked an eyebrow, Max frowned, “He can thrall you, like what? A vampire?”
“Yeah, Max, like a vampire.” My reply was blunt and snippy. Not the way I would have previously dared have spoken to the King. I mentally slapped myself. We weren’t on Antar anymore. Earth was my terrority. I was no longer a servant girl.
“Did he thrall me?”
“No, you fell in love with him, pure and simple, princess.” The princess part just slipped out and it shouldn’t have but Isabel had the grace not to say anything, she simply raised her eyebrows.
“So, how do we kill him?”
Michael was blunt and I smiled slightly. He was Rath in every way imaginable...yet at the same time, he wasn’t.
“You’re the royal four.”
“How is that helpful, Liz?”
I shrugged. “It is what it is. Combined you’re powerful than he could ever be.”
“And yet he managed to kill all four of us.”
“He divided and conquered. He caused a rift between you four.”
“So, together we’re the most powerful?”
“Yeah. Your power comes from your emotions and your connection to each other. You feed off each other.”
It was Max’s turn to stand and start pacing. Back and forth. Back and forth. Tess met my gaze and rolled her eyes. I bit my lip to stop a giggle from escaping me.
“Can we kill him when he visits you in your dreams?”
I shrugged; “I guess so.”
Isabel looked me up and down, frowned a worried frown, “Couldn’t that be dangerous? Killing him in her subconscious. Couldn’t that hurt her. Even kill her?”
“I’d heal it. It’s a risk we maybe have to take.”
Tess shook her head, a flurry of blonde curls flying around her face, “What if you can’t, Max?”
“That’s not even a possibility.”
As usual he was stubborn. Pig headed. Thought because he was king he knew best.
“It’s not a good plan, Max.”
He glared at Tess, “I thought you were my wife back then. Doesn’t that mean you have to back me up?”
Tess stepped back, eyes tearing up. I glared at Max. All that kingly power had gone to his head. That was unneedlessly cruel. Zan was an uptight, power hungry King but he was a good King and he was never purposely cruel.

The glare Isabel was shooting his direction was almost murderous, and in a blink of an eye that glare was gone. “I’m with Tess on this one. We can’t gamble with Liz’s life like that.”
Max turned to me and gazed at me with those puppy eyes of his, “You trust us, right, Liz? We wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
I opened my mouth to say something...to make some kind of reply...I’m not sure what...but before I could get any words out Michael shot up, stepped between me and Max, his hand pushing me slightly behind him; “No! It’s not an option. We’re not risking him laying a hand on her. Or her getting caught in the crossfire.”
Max stepped up to Michael, as Michael’s firm hand pushed me further back, “What’s the matter, Michael? Pissed off that it’s not your plan?” He paused for effect I’m sure, “Or is it something else. Is it that you’re feeling all warm and fuzzy by the fact that in our past life she was in love with you?”
I could feel Michael’s hand clenching as it held onto me, his grip was becoming almost painful. I could just see his jaw twitch. The tension in the room was palpable. I felt Isabel reach forward, grab my hand and try to pull me back, but Michael’s hand held me where I was.
Max tilted his head and grinned a grin that was borderline evil. “Or maybe what’s eating you up is the fact that she’s in love with me now.”
He looked smug. Like he’d just won the ultimate pissing contest or the whose is bigger than whose contest. The three girls in the room collectively held their breaths.
“Michael, let Liz go.” Tess whispered. But they didn’t hear her or they chose to ignore her. They were so caught up in their testostorone infused power struggle.
“She’s not in love with you, Max. You were just a distraction.”

I didn’t see it coming but Isabel and Tess must of because a split second before it happen, Isabel’s hand pulled me back as Tess waved a hand to throw me back with her powers. I landed with a soft thump on the sofa at the same moment as Max’s fist connected with Michael’s face.
Max panted shaking his hand. Michael wiped the blood from his nose as the silence and tension sizzled in the room. None of us quite knew what to say or do next. Isabel kept an arm firmly around me. Tess looked furious. Tess walked over and slapped Max on the back of the head, “You idiot! You could’ve really hurt Liz. And for what! To prove that you’re the King! We know that you’re the King, but sometimes you’re such a jackass.”
But I’m not sure her anger infused words got through his thick skull to his brain. Max and Michael were still engaged in a silent power struggle and everything else was inconsequental, merely unimportant.
“Have they always been like this?” Isabel whispered in my ear.
“Back then they were worse.”
I lifted Isabel’s arm from around me, pushed myself up from off the couch, walked to the fridge, took out a bag of frozen peas, sidled up to Michael and shoved it into his hand, “Put that on your face.”
He took the bag out of my hand, his thumb brushing the back of my hand; I felt the flash coming before it really did:
Rath and me in the palace library. Me wedged between a bookshelf and Rath. Rath handing me a book of Romeo and Juliet. Rath kissing the palm of my hand, never breaking eye contact.
As I caught my breath after the flash of memory, Michael winked at me. Which caused a slow blush and shy smile to form. While I turned red out of embarrasment, Max turned red out of rage.
“Did...Did Liz just have a flash?”
“Yeah, your highness. That would be what we call history.”
I threw my arms in the air in exasperation, “That’s it! I’ve had enough! I came over here to help you but that’s it, I will not be used as a catalyst for your pissing contest over who has the most power.”
I pushed myself between them. Sighed; “Look, Max, you were the King. You still are the rightful king. But you always cared what the other three thought, what there opinions were, you always worked in a democracy,” I turned my gaze on Michael, “And you, you were the love of my life. But now, you don’t even remember me, not really, yes you touch me and we both get these incredible flashes of memories, but I’m the only one who actually remembers them and I will not let you play me for information or to be the pawn you use to piss Max off.” I caught them both up in one glance, “So, back to your corners.” They looked unsure and tentative, “Now!”
They looked shocked. But after a moments hesitation, Max backed up to the kitchen and Michael slumped down on the couch, frozen peas held up to his face. I nodded, “Good. Great. Now back to Kihvar.”
“Yes, Kihvar, my evil ex-lover.” Isabel’s attempt at a witty, sarcastic joke. Tess cracked a small smile. I grinned. “Max’s idea isn’t great...but it’s not terrible.”
Michael looked furious, I pointed at him, “Down boy.”
He raised his hands in self defence, “I didn’t say a word.”
I grinned at him and as we stared at each other, I felt like we were having a moment. Not a Rath and Elizabeth moment but a Michael and Liz moment. Behind us Max rather loudly cleared his throat. And with one simple throat clearing the moment was gone.
I felt a blush rising up and heating my face, I looked away, I didn’t know what to say or do next. Luckily, Tess came to my rescue, “So....maybe we alter the plan...a little.”
“What if he comes into her dreams and we’re not there?”
Our heads all turned in Isabel’s direction, Michael’s frown turned to a scowl; “So, we go into her dreams every night.”
“No!”
Four sets of royal eyebrows raised at me; “No?” Max quizzed.
I shook my head, “No. I don’t want you four wandering around my subconscious every night.”
“We wouldn’t be wandering around your subconscious. Think of it more as a pre-emptive protective strike.” Michael was smirking at me.
“Yeah, Liz, it would be a pre-emptive protective strike.” He was not so subtly mocking Max’s words. I scrunched my face up at him and he wiggled his eyebrows at me. I wasn’t sure but I think we were flirting. Flirting was bad. Michael and me flirting was even worse. There were other hearts involved. Maria. I wiped the grin off my face. “A pre-emptive strike which involves you four having front row seats to my messed up dreams.”
I was frustrated this conversation was going around in circles. Circles. Circles. Circles. Tess wedged her way between Isabel and Michael on the couch, “Well, maybe just one of us could go into your dreams at a time.”
“But I’m the only one with the power to dream walk someone.”
“Well, Iz, couldn’t you just dream walk us into her dreams, leave and then when she wakes up wouldn’t we get thrown out?”
“Theoretically.” We could only hope that it work in practice.
The brooding, ever silent, Max stepped forward, “Great, then that’s what we’ll do. Each night one of us will go into her dreams.”
He seemed a little eager at the prospect of wandering through my dreams, like if he was alone in them, my memories would alter and suddenly he’d be in the starring role not Rath. Suddenly, I didn’t want him going into them. But what could I say?

[ukkiwiangel]

Thank you for all the wonderfull feedback. Please check out my blog at: http://kiwiangeluk.blogspot.com/
it's where I do the majority of my writing - except this one. Thanks and now onto the next part:



Part 9:

Dreams are a wish your heart makes while you’re asleep. That was the line the Cinderella fairy tale feeds children. It’s a beautiful fairytale; the servant girl gets the prince in the end and life is perfect, they live happily ever after. Is it true? Who knows. But if it was, my dream was messed up. I was sitting on a sofa, in Michael’s apartment. I was dreaming about myself in Michael’s apartment. I was seriously messed up.
“So, this is what you dream about when you’re not strolling up memory lane?”
He was casually sitting on top of the kitchen counter. Smirking at me. Why did it have to be him? It really was him, it wasn’t a dream version. No dream version my mind had created would be smirking in that irritating way only he can. He jumped off the counter and stalked towards me; “You dream about being in my apartment?”
I shrugged, I wasn’t going to lie, what was the point, “Sometimes.”
He nodded, as if he understood, how could he though when even I didn’t understand the workings of my subconscious.
“Why did you take up with Max?”
That was one curve ball I didn’t see coming. He wanted to have this conversation? And was it just me or did he seem almost jealous?
“Until the whole destiny thing, I didn’t know for sure that you four were the royal four. I mean, I knew deep down, I think I knew, there was something so familiar about you all. And you all look almost identical to how I remember you, just slightly younger.”
“So...why Max?”
“He looked at me the way you once did. And I thought maybe....just maybe they’d stuffed up and put you in the wrong bodies. But Max touched me...kissed me and it was nice but it wasn’t right.”
“You could have broken it off with him.”
“He saved my life. I owed him. And through him was the only way I could be close to you and Isabel.”
“You used him.” Arms crossed, he glared down at me. I jumped up off the sofa and stung him with a glare of my own.
“Don’t take the high and mighty tone with me. You and Isabel were the only family I’d ever known.”
“That was another life. It doesn’t apply to this to this one.”
I reeled back as if he’d slapped me. I felt tears welling up and blinked them back, I wouldn’t let him see me cry. “Get out.” I said through clenched teeth.
“Liz...”
“Get out! Get out!” I picked up a mug and threw it at him. He caught it in one hand. I walked over to him and shoved him in the chest, “Get out!”
I bolted upright in bed. This had to stop. I had to make it stop. Now.

An hour later and I was barging into Michael’s apartment. Again. I’d called a meeting of both Humans and Aliens. Miracles of miracles Maria and Alex had turned up. The royal four were seated on the couch, Maria, Alex, Kyle and the sheriff were at the kitchen table. They were all staring at me expectantly. Michael had the grace to look guilty.
“This has to stop. Now. There will be no more strolling into my dreams.”
“But Kihvar...”
I cut Tess off, “Figure out another plan. My subconscious is closed. I can’t take it anymore. You don’t remember me and I need you to. So...we’re done.”
“You’re breaking up with us?” Tess looked like she wanted to crack a smile but managed to suppress it.
“You want to know about your life back then. I get it, I really do but I won’t be used. I won’t be put through the emotional ringer for you to do it.” I took a deep breath, “So, here’s the deal, I’ll tell you what you want to know, right here and now and then we’re done....we’re just...we’re done.”
I scratched my wrist. As I watched them watch me. My wrist was driving me crazy with itching. Isabel’s eyes widened, “Liz, you’re glowing.” She pointed at my wrist where my shirt had ridden up and I was in fact glowing. Max stared at it in awe, “What is that?”
“That is the royal seal of Antar.”
“I put the royal seal on you?”
“No, Max, Rath did.”
Isabel was mesmerised, “Does it always glow like that?”
“No, only when I’m aggitated. Or when I’m knowingly separating myself from you four. It was Rath’s little reminder that I belonged to him.”
“You belonged to him?” Maria laughed but it was a bitter laugh, one without humour.
“Well, technically I belonged to Vilandra but it was Rath that branded me, it’s like the equivalant of a dog peeing against something.”
Isabel grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward, “He branded you?”
I yanked my hand away, “I was a servant. It protected me, as long as I had that, as long as everyone knew I belonged to a royal, no one would touch me. But when you all were killed....well, it was a free for all and Kihvar took advantage.”
“How did he kill you,” Alex’s voice was a mere whisper, I looked at him shocked, I guess they’d all been filled in.
I lifted up my top to show off my stomach, there was a collective gasp as they stared at the scars, the long, deep cut marks.
“How could I have not noticed those?”
“Well, Max, at the time you were a little busy saving my life.”
“What...How....” Words seemed to fail Tess as she stared at the scars.
“Kihvar decided that since I was human, he’d kill me the old fashioned human way.”
“What did he do, cut out your intestines?”
“No, Isabel, he cut out my baby.”
Isabel reached out and touched a scar as a tear rolled down her cheek, “You were pregnant?”
“Yeah. It was a girl. I was going to call her Vilandra Rose.”
Isabel’s shocked eyes rose to meet mine, one of her hands remained on my stomach, the other wrapped around my hand.
“Did I....did I know?”
“No, Isabel. I hadn’t even told Rath yet.”
Maria squealed as a mug beside her on the table exploded. We all stared at Michael, his jaw, his fists, hell his everything was clenched.
Time to divert away from that particular topic. Start at the very beginning and take it from there.
“I was Vilandra’s servant. We grew up together. I slept in her room. She treated me as if I wasn’t anything less than she was. And she was fiercely protective of me. I didn’t meet Zan until he became King and was married to Ava. Vilandra was the only royal I interacted with for years. Rath was the Second in Command. Him and Vilandra had a sweet friendship. I met him when Vilandra sent him with me to pick up a dress. She didn’t want me going alone. He was sent along to protect me. The three of us spent a lot of time together, every waking hour, until Vilandra started becoming distant...going on errands and then....”
“Then you fell in love.” The sheriff smiled kindly at me.
“Yeah. And then it was announced that Vilandra and Rath were to wed. I tried to break it off.”
“But he wouldn’t let you.”
“No. Vilandra and Rath were married and I couldn’t get away from it. Vilandra was involved with Kihvar. Rath wouldn’t leave me alone and I wasn’t sure I wanted him to.”
“Then Isabel betrayed us.”
“No, Max, she didn’t. She was tricked. Kihvar was...is a master manipulator. We were all caught up in a tangled web of deceit. It was Vilandra’s birthday. A royal celebration. It was the perfectly timed attack. I held Vilandra as the life drained out of her. Her blood was everywhere. Then Rath was pushing me into a room and telling me about some cockamaine plan he’d concocted to make us all live again. On earth. He told me he loved me and then he was gone. He sealed the room and I couldn’t leave and no one could get in....not until...not until...then Kihvar walked in and I knew. You were all dead. And then so was I.”
“And the baby?”
I shook my head, the tears running down my face; “There’s no way she would have survived that. There’s no way Kihvar would have let her live.”
I paused and looked around the room and into the faces of the only people I’d ever loved and trusted unconditionally: in this world and any other.
Max jumped to his feet, “That’s it? That’s the whole story?”
He said it almost suspiciously, as if he didn’t believe me. Always the paranoid King.
I shrugged, wiped a tear away, “That’s all there is. That’s all I know and now I’m done.”
“You’re done?”
“Yeah, Tess, I’m done. I’m just done. I’ve spent my whole life waiting for you four to find me, for Rath to find me and then feeling the pain of disappointment every time it doesn’t happen....”
“But we’re here now.”
“You are. But you’re not the same as you once were....and it’s not fair to expect you to be. I should be thankful for the gift Rath gave me...he kept his promise....you Michael, kept your promise and even if you don’t remember it, you sent me home. And now I’m done. It’s time to stop clinging to a life before and a wish that can never come true.”
I took Isabel’s hands in mine and squeezed them gently, “Isabel, what happened back then wasn’t your fault, you just fell in love. But that past does not determine who you are now or who you will become. You were beautiful then and you’re beautiful now, you’re beauty comes from inside not just from what is on the outside.”
I let her go and stood in front of Max and smiled fondly at him, “You were the King and you were a good King. The people loved you. You were fair and you were firm when necessary but you were never cruel. You always put the good of your people before everything else and you listened to them. Remember a King is nothing without any followers or people to lead.”
Tess smiled nervously as I turned to her, “You, Tess, were great. And you will be great in this life too. You were great with the King but not because of him. Remember that.”
I turned and stared into the face of the only man I’d ever loved. He stared up at me from his spot on the sofa, I stepped closer and bent down in front of him, “You were the only love of my life. You were second in command, you lead whole armies of men and you are the sole reason we are all here now. You always headstrong, determined and lead with your emotions and I loved you for it. It breaks my heart that you don’t remember any of it, but that’s not your fault;” I gently put my hand on his cheek, leant forward and lightly brushed his lips with mine, closing my eyes as I did so, “Goodbye, Rath.” I pushed away and quickly stood up and headed for the door as I did I locked eyes with Maria. Tears glistened in her eyes and Alex was holding onto her. I had my hand on the doorknob ready to walk away from these people, but I felt I had to leave her with some kind of peace, “In another life, he was mine. He loves you now. Don’t punish him or miss out on something great because of something that happened a lifetime ago.” I pulled the door open, stepped over the threshold and walked away from the only thing I’ve ever known.

[ukkiwiangel]

Part 10:

Michael’s POV:

We, the seven of us, stared at each other. None of us quite fathomed what had happened. Had Liz just done what we thought she’d done? Washed her hands of the lot of us?
It appeared Liz Parker was even more of an enigma than any of us first thought.
“She wouldn’t actually leave Roswell, would she;” Maria sniffled.
It was a good question. Would Liz really leave? I didn’t think so, but then what did I know. Turns out none of us knew Liz as well as we thought we did. I couldn’t deny that a spark of pride washed through me when she stood up to us. I’d never seen that side of her before. The feisty side. She was little, mousy Liz Parker. Object of Max’s obession. Would she really leave? Get away from this alien mess? Good for her if she did.
I briefly wondered if we could order her to stay. No. It wouldn’t be fair.
“She can’t leave.”
I rolled my eyes at the patheticness that was Max.
“We can’t order her to stay.”
Thank-you, Tess. Maybe you can get through to his royal pain in the arse.
“Yes, we can. You saw the seal. She belongs to us.”
Maria hiccuped a bitter laugh, “She belongs to you, Max? She’s not just a plaything you can toss around between you for your own entertainment then throw away when you’re done.”
Alex tightened his grip around her, Isabel and Tess had the grace to look guiltily away and Max decided to ignore Maria’s outburst.
“Michael could order her. He appears to have the most hold over her.”
He was really pushing his luck. “That’s not fair, Max. Playing with her emotions. She remembers a life none of us know. With Michael. That would be leading her on.”
Tess was quickly becoming Liz’s greatest protector. I couldn’t help being ever so slightly suspicious.
“But we need her.”
“We need her? We need her as a friend, as an integral part of this group or because her mind holds the key to our last life.” Isabel was getting protective - perhaps some past life instinct was kicking in.
“Both.”
My mind was in overload. Too much was going on. I needed to make it stop. I needed a distraction. I locked eyes with Maria and held her gaze.
“That’s it. Everyone out.”
Max looked perplexed, so I gave him a hard shove (I may have boosted it with my powers) and he fell off the couch and landed on his arse on the floor. Isabel unsuccessfully suppressed a giggle.
“Out. Now”
Max scowled at me but scrambled up off the floor, Isabel looked at me suspiciously as she followed the others out. Alex reluctantly let go of Maria and meandered out, clicking the door closed behind him. Maria stayed put, eyeing me nervously. In two strides I’d closed the gap between us and before she could utter a word of protest, I’d grabbed the back of her head and hauled her up against my body before crashing my lips down on hers.

“Don’t play with her emotions, Rath.”
“What makes you think I am?”
“She’s not like one of your usual girls.”
“My usual girls? What the hell does that mean, Vilandra?”
“She’s my friend.”
“She’s your servant.”
“She’s delicate, beautiful, sweet, breakable and human. She’s human. She’s not your type.”
“Again, what the hell does that mean?”
“She’s not the girl you fool around with, keep a secret or make your whore.”
“What kind of girl is she?”
“The kind you fall in love with. The kind you keep forever.”

Stunned, I pulled away from Maria. I hoped she hadn’t seen what I’d just seen. She fisted the front of my shirt and pulled me in for another kiss. Guess not. The flash started at the first moment of contact....

“Stop following me!”
“Stop avoiding me! Would you just talk to me?”
“Why? So, that you can tell me again how I mean nothing to you? How I’m just your whore?”
Each question was punctuated with a shove on my chest.
“I love you.”
All motion stopped and she looked up at me with big, watery, doe eyes, “You married her, Rath.” She stated in a strangled whisper.

We pulled apart, struggling for air, our chests heaving. I stared down at Maria, the girl who had risked everything for me...to be with me. And even as I stared down at this blonde little pixie of a girl, the face of another girl flashed through my mind. There was no denying it, those flashes were memories. My memories.