<span style="font-style: italic">The war raged on, the demons beating back the Elves in short time. A king and a queen did what they could, watching their kingdom fall and their little girl's life being put in grave danger. There was only one last act to save their baby girl, the act they needed to finish before they died. It was inevitable, but it was none the less heartbreaking for the pair, knowing they would never see their little girl grow into the Princess they knew she would be. <br/><br/>The veil was easy to cross for an elf, not so much for a demon, but it had been done. The Queen was the one to drop her little girl on some strange, older couple's door step. She had watched them most of the day and they seemed to be kind people, she had no doubts the babe would be loved and taken care of. With her final deed done she left again, returning to die beside her king. <br/><br/>The couple came out to see who had run their bell and they found a cute little one swaddled in a basket. The couple figured it was a blessing, as they had never been able to have children of their own and they gladly took the little one in. She had come with a name, a beautiful, exotic name and they chose to keep it. Aliyah. </span><br/><br/>–<br/><br/>“Aliyah! Wake up! Time for school!” Came the call from downstairs, rousing the black haired youth from a sound sleep. She opened her bright blue eyes and rolled from her bed, heading for her bathroom for a shower and to get ready. Things were as usual and she clipped the tips of her ears again, touching them and feeling them heal under a strange power she held. Odd things had begun happening and it was getting scary for the young girl. Aliyah dragged on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, her socks and boots and bolted downstairs for breakfast.<br/><br/>“Good morning Ma, Pa.” The pair returned the greeting and all sat down to eat, which was followed by Aliyah grabbing her bag and darting out the door to walk to school. She looked like any other kid, except for her high cheek bones and slanted almond shaped eyes. Those were things she couldn't hide. However most people assumed she had been born in another country and they might not be wrong. Funny enough, this country was farther away than any of them knew.<br/><br/>Aliyah jogged most of the way to school, her bag tapping against her back as she ran. She really did not want to be late for classes again this week. She didn't enjoy school and had no friends to speak of, not that she tried. She kept her distance from folks because she knew she was different and just couldn't put her finger on it. She longed for someone to hold though, someone to love her besides her parents, but at seventeen and a junior in high school, that wasn't uncommon. Most of the girls had paired off with boys and she just did not have any interest in the males at her school.<br/><br/>She knew why, and this she hid as well. She jogged around another corner, the school now looming before her and she sighed, slipping through the gate and slowing to a walk. She walked through the doors and to her first class, Math. She was decent at it and got good grades, but she was still alone and the days passed slowly. She took her seat and did her work and when the bell rang she filed off with the rest of the students until lunch came.<br/><br/>Aliyah sat alone at her usual table. Watching the other students be with their friends and have those bright, laughing conversations. She watched it all from the outside and ate her lunch, wondering why no one had ever talked to her. Ali was usually quiet and didn't make the first move, but it didn't mean she wouldn't talk a little if someone had decided to talk to her first. She longed for it, but at the same time it horrified her. What if the person came to hate her? What would she do then? Would she be able to handle the fall out? She was really too scared to find out. So she subjected herself to the solitude and safety that being alone and being a loner brought.