"Well look at her now, human. See? She is the Priestess of Lies. She never really loved you, you know."
Michael stood motionless, stunned, staring at the woman he thought he knew. Ariadne blankly returned the stare.
"She hates you really. She just used you to-"
"Enough."
The silver-haired man whirled towards the door. "Rowan? You shouldn't be here. You shouldn't even be able to get past the barrier anymore. What are you-"
"I am doing what I should've done a long time ago, Jules. I'm stopping you. I will not let you hurt my friends, or anybody else."
"Hah! Even if you're serious about it.. there's nothing you can do now. The human's mind was bent, and you can't heal it without your powers. And you lost your powers a long, long time ago."
Rowan snorted. "That, we will have to see." She strode past Jules and walked up to Michael, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Michael.."
Michael blinked slowly, and looked at her in confusion. "Rowan? What are you doing here? Who..."
"What he told you about Ariadne is not true."
"You mean she isn't...?"
Rowan shook her head. "Oh, no. She is the Priestess of Lies. What I'm trying to tell you, Michael..." she paused, trying to find a way to put what she knew in words "...is that the love you shared... the fact that she loved you, and you loved her... that was not a lie."
"But... that man told me she is the Priestess of Lies! Everything she does or says is a lie!"
Rowan smiled slightly. "Jules is the Truthful, yes, but that does not mean he cannot lie. Names don't really mean a thing."
"I still..."
"Look. You know what I was... and still am... called?"
Michael shook his head.
"Ariadne... you should remember."
"Yes, I remember. But why should I say it?" She smiled bitterly. "He will not believe me."
"Jules, then. You remember me, don't you?"
Jules shook his head slowly in disbelief. "You are just as stubborn as I remembered... maybe even more. Yes, I remember your name. You're Rowan, Friend of all the World."
"And I'm probably the most lonely creature that ever existed on this wretched planet" Rowan finished. "Names... even for us Ancients... never show what a person really is. Ariadne is still the girl you loved. You've always known her... she never changed."

[ 9/26/2001 11:41:02 AM | ]