Cheers and laughter were heard in The Brown Bair. A lively inn. A lot of people in the village went there as it was The Brown Bair's Christmas party. They held it every year and it was always full of the happy people as they danced and sang, many drank and laughed with others. The farmers all came together and each handed in some food of which they had grown over the warmer seasons. The food handed in was all cooked and placed on the table for the happy people that welcomed the new year.

Everyone inside the inn were talking and laughing, a small band played folk music and couples danced happily. Everyone was dressed in their best. A large Christmas tree stood in the corner, its fresh pine smell filled the room and it was more than welcome to, it was a beautiful smell. The fire warmed the inn and children played, laughed and sang with their mothers and fathers.

Everyone in the inn were enjoying themselves, well nearly everyone. A man stood at the back, alone. He watched over everything, his deep blue eyes scanned the people in The Brown Bair. This man was tall at 6'3. The men in the village stood very rarely over 6'2. This man was once the white haired boy, he was now, a twenty-one year old white haired man. His hair hadn't taken after anyone in the family. No-one on his mothers side and no-one on his fathers side. He had been kicked out of their farmyard and house many a time, but always was allowed back in. In return he had to do even more work and try to stop arguing. With little hope this didn't work at all and Atrix was kicked out time and time again. When he was kicked out, Atrix learnt something that he would grow to love: he learnt to fight.

He always came home around three and four in the morning, without a sound so he didn't wake anyone, though his brother knew where and what he had been doing. Now, a normal person of course would have just left the village and escape everyone. The only reason that Atrix didn't leave this village was because he was afraid about what would happen to Link.

Atrix stood in the inn, thinking to himself. He frowned heavily but watched the people. He was often told to 'lighten up' and this was normally followed by a broken nose as Atrix would take back his fist and hit the person, then start yelling as the person held his own nose and tried to run. Atrix was known around the village. No-one liked him and never really talked to him unless they had to. Atrix just watched the couples dance. His eyes then looked all around him. He stood now leaning against the wall; bored. Until the door of The Brown Bair opened and in stepped a girl.

She was in her best red pretty dress. She had shoulder length blond hair and green eyes. This girl didn't came from this village, she was new: an outsider. Outsiders weren't new here, but they were watched with close eyes. She looked around the age of 18 and was simply beautiful.

As she walked in, she looked around. Her green eyes danced fast around the room and landed on Atrix, he looked away fast and she smiled. The band started a new song, the couples danced fast, all smiling, followed by happy laughter.

The girl started to walk to forwards and Atrix darted away fast as she got near, he moved into the people dancing. Trying to hide within the middle of them but something gave him away, not only his height but his hair, making it look like a white fluffy cloud hovering just about the crowd by an inch or two.

Atrix pushed through people, walking backwards, but was shocked as when he came out the other side, a hand traced across his back. "Dancing is a wonderful thing." a soft voice whispered into his ear. "Will you not take my hand?" It was the girl that he had been backing away from.

"Don't dance." Came Atrix's reply fast.

"I do." she replied, taking his hands. "It's not right to go against a ladies wishes…" she smiled up to him. She only stood 5'5'' in height. Atrix looked over her, down to her red dress.

"Well… if you don't mind me looking like a fool." Atrix answered and held one of her hands lightly as his other hand gently touched her waist.

"To look a fool is part of life. We all must learn." she said simply and smiled again.

"Do you teach?" Atrix asked, slowly moving back into the crowd of people to start dancing with her.

"Depends what you mean."

"… Dancing, what else would I mean?" Atrix asked and tilted his head, starting to dance… or at least try to.

"Oh, there are many things, dancing is one." She replied and looked into his deep blue eyes as she danced closely to him.

"Then, will you teach me?" Atrix asked her, looking down into her green eyes, she was much smaller then him in his own eyes.

"I will, but… not here." she said and then took a step back from him. "It' not good to learn in a crowd, but, from what I have seen of you just now, you dance pretty well."

"Pretty." Atrix said, looking over her again.

She smiled and placed a hand on his cheek. Her hand was ice cold and Atrix stood still as he looked puzzled, he himself was only dressed in a white shirt and brown bottoms. He was cold, yes… it was Christmas Eve after all and snowing, but, her skin felt much colder than his own.

"Then come." she spoke slowly and leant forwards to kiss Atrix on the lips softly. He froze as he felt her lips press against his, but he didn't move away. The girl stood on tip toes as she kissed him, then backed away. "If you wish." she wished and turned herself, the last thing to leave him was her eyes as she walked towards the door, she left the inn and walked out into the cold, white snow.

Atrix stood, bolted to the floor, he the blushed and felt his lips, moving towards the door after thinking about what to do for a split second.

After going outside, Atrix glanced around, he spotted her… she was headed towards the forest. Atrix followed, a smile grew a little on his face. The girl only walked, not looking back to him, making her way on. Her skin looked like silk as the moonlight covered her. This made Atrix smile again as he reached out and took her hand, walking just behind the red dressed girl now.

"Where are we going?" Atrix asked, holding her hand gently as he reached out to feel her hair.

"I want to show you something." she answered and tilted her head, moving it to the side to stop him from touching her hair.

"Would you like my shirt?" Atrix asked. "You're cold."

She laughed slightly, "No… No, I don't need it, I'm fine." she said and looked to him slowly. "You're cold yourself, why are you out here in only a thin shirt and bottoms?"

"Well, I wasn't meant to come out tonight… I was in an augment, you see?"

"With whom, may I ask…?"

"You may…" Atrix said, looking over her slowly again. "With my father for shouting at me about more work on the bloody farm."

"Farm? You're a farm boy?" she asked and her face seemed to drop a little.

Atrix winced. "I don't like being called that." he replied. "I hate it there."

"You do?" she asked and her face gave a smile once more. No longer the look of loss was held on her face.

"I do." Atrix said and glanced around the forest where he had spent most of his childhood hiding. He knew this place well… far to well. Until the girl lead him deeper and deeper into the darkness of the trees shadows.

"Would you leave it?" she asked and her eyes followed his as Atrix nodded. "Forever?"

"Forever." Atrix replied. "Well… I have to stay for my younger brother."

"What's he like?"

"Shy… smaller than me, about six foot one in height. Not strong at all… good at counting and adding things though, comes in handed when needed."

"I see…" she spoke slowly and a smile crept to her lips. "What would you say if I told you that I could help you… and your brother?" she asked. "If I could take you away from here."

"I'd say…" Atrix stopped to think. "I'd say… well, I'd say, you gotta be kidding… that can't happen. You're just a girl."

"Do not doubt me just because I'm a girl. There is more than what the eyes show you." She said and walked on.

"Don't come out with that." Atrix sighed. "More than what the eye sees?" he laughed. "Damn foolish words, my dear."

"Do not call me that." she said quietly, she continued walking with Atrix following her. She didn't like him laugh at her words, but she didn't do anything about it… yet. "And… what do you believe then, good Sir?"

"I believe that life is plain and boring. The most joy I get out of life is fighting the people I hate in the alleyways."

"Ah… a fighting farm boy?" she asked and grinned.

"Don't call me that." Atrix said to her and frowned.

"It's what you are… and, I don't really think a farm boy can do all that good at fighting…" she said, using now a cold voice.

"Hey, just because I live on a farm, doesn't mean that I'm a stupid stable boy!" Atrix shouted at her.

"So there's more to you?" she asked.

"Of course. I may look like just a … 'farm boy' But, I'm not, alright?!" he asked, frowning.

The girl turned on her heels, raising her hand and she slapped Atrix across the face, "So, there is more than what the eye sees." she said and raised her eyebrows, folding her arms.

"Maybe." Atrix muttered after working out that he had dug himself into a hole with his own words, he sighed and felt his cheek. "Why'd you hit me?"

"You raised your voice to me. I didn't like that very much, Petal…" she smiled and placed a hand on Atrix's other cheek. "Come… walk on." she said, turning and moving forwards.

Atrix thought once more before following her. "Alright then. But… I didn't really like that name."

"Farm boy?" she teased, but didn't look back.

"… Petal." Atrix answered. "But, that name has to go as well."

"But, I liked that name, Petal…" she said and turned to face him fast. Atrix almost walked into her. She smiled up to him. "Won't you be my Petal?" she asked and gently wrapped her arms around his waist to hug him. Very gently, she placed her head on his shoulder, then a hand on his chest.

"… Maybe." Atrix said, standing still, shocked by her actions. He raised his eyebrows as she stroked up his chest, then brushed her fingers under his chin. "Yes…" Atrix said, tilting his head like a dog that was enjoying being scratched behind the ear. The girl continued to tickle under his chin. "Petal, I can be… yes."

"Really?" she asked, her English accent strong now. "Really? You'd be my Petal?"

"Always…" Atrix said and gently hugged her as she stroked down his neck.

"I would like that. But. Like I said before… I can help you change your life." she smiled and watched his face as he seemed lost as her fingers stroked up his neck and then fiddled with the bottom on his ear. "Petal… if you follow me into that cave. I'll give you a completely different life. One that your eyes have never seen. But, remember… if you follow me, then you have made your choice… so, stay and think… you can still turn away from what I offer you." she said and her fingers traced under Atrix chin before her body turned from him, she walked on a little, towards and then into a small cave, hidden under moss so it blended in with the forest.

Atrix watched her, nearly falling over as her fingers left him. As he now stood alone, he looked around himself to find that he didn't know this part of the forest… he had never gone this far… or had he? In the moonlight, everything looked different to him now, mostly because his mind was on the girl in the red dress. "Change my life?" he asked himself. "What's she going to do?" he asked and glanced around again. "Well… for once, I'll make a choice… what's the worst that could happen?" Atrix asked, making his way into the cave where he had watched the girl go to. He stopped just outside of it and thought a little, looking behind him to see no one… he entered the cave.

Alright… Petal is here." he called, looking into the darkness. It was cold in here, far colder than he had been out it the snow. "I've chosen…" he said, looking around, but saw nothing at all. "… 'Ello?"

A hand covered Atrix's mouth and he was yanked to the side. The girl in the red dress held him close as he tried to pull away from her, he couldn't see her clearly. His eyes went wide. "I'm glad…" she said quietly. Opening her mouth, Atrix saw two things hit the moonlight… fangs. He mumbled and tried to calm down as she leant closer, Atrix thought she was going to kiss his neck, until he felt a cold pain shoot threw his body, he called out in pain. Her fangs had entered his neck and were draining him. He fell soon after to the cold floor, breathing heavily before she dropped to his side and smiled. "Good, Petal…"

"What the Hell have you just done?" Atrix gasped and grabbed his neck.

"Hush." she whispered and cut her wrist with one of her fangs before pressing it to Atrix's lips. Atrix smelt her blood, he didn't know why, but he opened his mouth and bit into her wrist… his teeth changed, fangs were now within his mouth, drinking from her, he was lost, but his heart beat for the last time and Atrix lay still on the ground passed out… dead. Or… as the living dead…

She smiled to herself to look at him, "You'll become a fine vampire, My Petal." she whispered to him and stroked his hair before pulling him deeper into the cave.