Summary: Movieverse, post twitches II, Aron/Miranda, angst, continuation.

Disclaimer: I do not own this. If I did, it would not be a kid's movie. This is not a kid's story. I have not read the books and do not intend to because I like messing with the movie characters. The books may well be better than the movies, but since it's the movies' faults and inaccuracies that inspire my subplots… being too correct would destroy my material.

"Who?" He asks "Miranda, who?"

She sighs. "Este Veii." She answers.

"The healer?" he questions , dumbfounded, unable to picture the possibility.

"The same…" Miranda deadpans.

"But she's…" Aron stammers, picturing the confident imposing whirlwind that had strutted around his room as if she owned the place and completely disregarded his royal blood.

"Older." Miranda finishes for him. She shakes her head. "You should know by now that these things are about power."

Aron cannot think of a useful answer. He fails to imagine someone choosing to use power in that way. To woo a woman by enchanting stars or flowers was one thing. That was sweet and caring, if a bit corny, but to use power to compel them, hold them down… He feels sick. What kind of person wanted an unwilling woman.

"There was some sort of old grudge between them." Miranda admits. "I don't know the details." Her face darkens. "But I know I didn't stop it."

"This happened often?" He asks, taking hold of Miranda's hands, in what he hopes is a comforting manner.

She simply glares at him. "Just once," she challenges. "Is that a problem?"

"No."Aron trips over his words "Of course not…I arrested him didn't I?"

"Yes," Miranda concedes. Then she smiles a little. "Yes, you did?"

She kisses him, not aggressively, but deliberately.

His ears burn. "I … um… I'm getting confused." Did she kiss him because he had done what she wanted? Moreover, does he care if that was the reason?

Miranda swats at his shoulder playfully. "What is there to be confused about?"

"Nothing…. Everything…" Aron stammers. "I don't know!"

She smiles.

"I…. I mean I…" Aron continues to stutter, "It's not like I mind."

Light, the entire dimension shines when she is happy. "Good." She whispers and kisses him again.

Aron is sitting alone on the terrace, watching the suns set in a flood or orange and red, when she comes up behind him.

The slap makes his ears ring. "You stubborn self-rightous fool of a man!"

"Healer Este…" he manages. "I…"

"What in darkness made you think you had the right to do that." She rages. "You idiot!"

Hadn't that been Miranda? "Look, I didn't…"

"You always did lack the bloody sense to let things be…" Este growls. "Run off for two dark decades… then you come back and oh so nicely expect to find your wife and your kingdom in the same condition if it's not too much trouble…"

Aron tries to get a word in edgewise but doesn''t manage it.

"And we're all just supposed to fall into line and….":

"But Miranda…" Aron gasps.

"Miranda?" Este snaps "Was the Miranda's idea?"

"Err…" Oops, there's no right answer to this. "Yes."

Turning sharply, Este strides away "I'll give that lady a piece of my mind. She ought to know better."

That went poorly.

A/N Ah yes it's short but I figured in honor of Halloween, I'd prove I didn't abandon this story.