In the name of the Queen...

The young queen slowly makes her way to the garden and the walls of names. She has her head lowered as she thinks about the past. The old Rivendell was so lovely so was the people she cared for. Aphrael is wearing a black dress since she is going to the place of memory of the people she lost she wanted to respect them. She hardly ever wears darker clothes then her skintone cause it doesn't look right on her. She kneels down near by Rage not paying attention to him thinking he is one of many people who comes to give gifts for those who died. Tears roll down her cheeks as she places a hand on the wall of names. She places the flowers under the wall then turns to look at the man near her "are you alright?" she would ask in a soft and sweet tone.

He would look at her, not understanding in his state of confusion, “I was just somewhere else……” He would continue still in a state of shock, “I am not sure…..” His mind would still be on his death and he would still be looking at the monument. Rage would look around and add, “Why is my name on this plaque? Where am I?” The question would come out in such a tone that no insult or sarcasm could be taken from it unless it was blatant. Rage would continue to look around and wonder whom this woman was that was talking to him. “Do I know you?” His confusion would be evident. Rage would look at the woman standing there trying to ascertain her features because his vision was blurry still.

She would try her best to understand what has happened to him. "Where were you sir?" she asks still in that same tone as before. Aphrael would then look at the wall where he was looking but then again she could not read the names. "You would be in the realm of Rivendell well the new one anyways....." her voice goes down another notch as she lowers her head in thought. The way her clothes look would mean she is someone of great importantance to this place but she was not talking about that. "What is your name?" she would ask after she regain herself from being lost in thought about the past. "I do not know if you know me or not but my name is Aphrael" she says then turns her back on this man.

Stepping through the ball of light he finds himself in somewhat familiar surroundings. It's a bit warmer but the feel is the same. He looks around and sees a large wall with names on it. Placing a hand on it he feels the wall as he walks thinking to himself "Why do all these names look familiar to me." He walks along for a few moments the sees a name that stops him....but it can't be true...not her name not......Atalanta, his wife whom he had not seen since just before the tell died. He hears some talking and looks to his right and what he sees almost brings him to his knees. He walks up to her in his loose fitting black pant and shirt, his messy spiked blond hair moves with the wind as he walks and when he reaches her his sky blue eyes piece right through her as he places a hand on her shoulder "Now do you think he would be ok with you being out by yourself"

She turns her head to the noise behind then gasps. "Cloud?" She turns around then hugs her dear friend. "Strife left me so why would he care if I walk around this kingdom alone..." she sighs before shaking her head. "If you are worried about Atalanta she wanted to die I am sorry I tried to stop her from protecting your cabin" she lowers her head as she remembered. She fully turns so she could hug her friend and he can see that she too was in mourning for her people especially Atalanta and Chelinka.

He frowns some as she hugs him "He did what he had to do Aph....he saved all he could before he left" he says and hugs her back and thoughts of the people he cared for fill his head and sadness fill his eyes for only moments before he pulls away form her "They deserved better than they got"

She nodded then turned her head away for a moment "I know he did what he could for the people...." she broke off since she felt something before laughing. Aphrael turns back to Cloud with a huge smile on her face. "It seems I both of the men I once knew back in my life again" she says in a soft tone. "So Cloud what brings you back to me?" she giggles like she used to not mourning for the people she lost. She brushes her hair out of her face as she places her other hand on Cloud's shoulder.

He smiles when he hears her giggle, something he feared he would never hear again. He turns to her when she puts her hand on his shoulder and says "well someone had to keep an eye on you to make sure you stayed out of trouble" he then jokes and points at her hair "is that a gray hair I see" he says and grins.

She would giggle at him again for old times sake. "Why would anyone want to keep taps on me?" she asks as she stares into his eyes. Her eyes widen at the word gray hair then glares "I don't have gray hair!" she then beats on him.

He laughs a full happy laugh "it was a joke Aph a joke" he says still laughing then moves away from her and looks off into the distance "seems I'm not the only one here" finally feeling his brothers power in the area

"A joke my foot Cloud!" she smirks as she looks around. She laughs "come on out where ever you are my friend!" she calls out. She looks back at Cloud as she watches him for the moment.

He backs up more and hiss behind a tree then using his powers of ice and wind he makes it snow to make it harder to see in the area for he knew his brother had some trick in mind but what he did not know.

"Cloud what are you doing?" she looks around confused. Aphrael then kneels before the wall looking around more. "What are you going to do Strife?" she asks herself as she closes her eyes to listen.

Running his hand over the wall seeing all the names of all the people he used to protect, feeling sad that he had done what he did but he did what had to be done to save the bigger part if the people there. The weather began to change getting harder to see then he felt it.....his brother...and, a large smile came to his face as he seemingly melted unto the snow and appeared behind Aphreal leaning in real close to her ear so that his lip almost touch it "Having fun little one" he would say the melt back into the snow and appear on the other side of her when she would turn to look for him.

Aphrael gasps then jumps as she turns to look for him. "Strife! you monster!" she laughs then gets up to hug him. "What are you doing here? Trying to make my life miserable?" she smirks then gets to her feet. She closes her eyes to protect them from the wind.

He smiles and hugs her back...he had never seen her this happy and it warmed his heart. He waved his hand and the magic that his brother was casting stops and the weather returns to normal. He looks around then and smiles more "a lovely kingdom you have here Aph...but you will have to visit my some time"

"Its not Rivendell but it is more like my heart" she replies as she smiles more when her hair was not whipping around her face. "I notice that you sense your brother is near by" Aphrael says as she tries not to look where Cloud is hiding. "What do you think of the wall?" her face become more serious again and she fights back tears again so she would look even stronger then they had last saw her.

He was smiling till she said something about the wall. His face hardened and he turns to look at it. He places a hand on it running his fingers over some of the names on it then turns to look at her no emotion on his face at all "I did what had to be done Aphreal. I would rather they died by my hand then to give that basterd the satisfaction of it" he says and turns back to the wall. "I am sorry but I need to be alone for a bit" he says the dissolves into the wind.

She sighs as she listened to his words. "Thank you for what you did for me and my people Strife" she says before he looked at her without any emotion on his face that frighten her the most but she was happy he came back to check on her. "I understand my lord do what you want" she smiles more then turns away so she could not see him vanish before her eyes. She goes to put two roses by the names of her friends as she listens around her.