Miaka slowly regained consciousness to the soft murmur of voices all around her, feeling warm and safe and pleasantly lethargic. She didn’t really want to wake up from her current state of relaxation, but the voices were insistent, and she doubted that they’d leave her alone anytime soon if she didn’t do something about it. So, holding back a sigh of frustration, she began to fight her way to the surface of the soft blackness that surrounded her, trying her best to reach those voices…if only to tell them to shut the heck up so she could get some more sleep.
It was no easy task, swimming upward through that darkness; it dragged at her as though she was wading through thick mud and tried its best to hold her back. Still, she was determined, and she continued to fight against the sluggishness that weighed her down. Eventually, as she slowly grew closer to her goal, a sense of urgency began to overtake her. The lethargic feeling that engulfed her began to fade, and her mind began to reawaken. There was something she needed to do, she began to realize. What it was, she hadn’t the foggiest notion, but it was something very important. There was business that had been left unfinished, she recalled. A frown touched her lips as she fought to remember what this urgent matter was. She knew it was important. Someone was…in danger? Yes, that seemed right, but who was it? The urgency was growing, and she was almost there. The memory was almost within her grasp…
The voices were growing clearer, turning slowly from a mere hum into distinguishable words. "I think she’s waking up! Miaka, can you hear me? Mitsukake, will she be okay?" That was Serena’s voice, frantic with worry, and Miaka frowned again. Why was her little sister so concerned? One would almost think someone had died or something, but she was perfectly fine! She was…
"Ooooohhhh…"
The soft moan escaped her lips involuntarily as a bolt of fire abruptly pierced her body, shooting straight from her shoulder the whole way down to her fingertips and back again, stopping at the pulse-point in her neck and leaving her sucking deep gasps of air through her teeth as a result. Good grief, but that had hurt! No wonder she’d had such a hard time waking up! Obviously her body had more sense than her brain did trying to keep her away from such awful pain!
"Miaka? Miaka, open your eyes…" another voice was urging, softly and gently, and she felt a soft hand against her face, stroking her cheek carefully. She tried to resist, tried to crawl back into that silent, pain-free haven she’d been so foolishly eager to leave, but the voice was insistent…and it was so gentle and familiar and dear to her that she found she didn’t want to resist. So, against her better judgment, she gritted her teeth against the pain and slowly, cautiously opened her eyes.
Soft, golden-brown eyes locked onto hers, worry and relief warring within their depths as Hotohori pressed a cool hand to her forehead. "Welcome back, Little One," he murmured, smiling softly. "How are you feeling?"
She blinked up at him groggily and looked around, noticing the other faces hovering over her. Serena and Mitsukake, and Tamahome hovering silently in the background, his eyes dark with emotion. She was in her own bedchamber, she realized, and her shoulder, although throbbing, had been cleaned and bandaged. Her former-or rather, Hotohori’s former-clothing had been replaced with a loose, cotton night shift. She barely had time to register all this before Serena shoved her way forward and leaned down until she was practically nose-to-nose with her elder sister, stating, with as much disapproval as she could muster, "It’s a good thing you survived this, dear sister, ‘cause as soon as you get better I’m gonna kill you for scaring me like that!"
Miaka smiled weakly at her. "Sorry," she whispered, not quite able to pitch her voice to a proper volume. "What happened?"
"We were hoping you could tell us that," Hotohori replied. "You came racing through the castle gates on Panther’s back, barely conscious enough to hang on, with an arrow protruding from your shoulder. The arrow, I might add, was poison-tipped. It was lucky Mitsukake had been taught to distinguish which symptoms are related to which poisons and was able to give you the proper antidote. Otherwise, you might have died." He shuddered slightly and gripped her hand, and she could feel how damp his palms had become. "I believe you have some explaining to do, Little One."
Miaka closed her eyes and delved into her memory, and bits and pieces began to slowly surface. "Rei wanted to go riding," she whispered. "So…we snuck out of the castle and went riding in the meadow." She paused as the memories began to flow faster, and her eyes shot open in panic. "We were attacked from the trees…by bandits, I think. Th-they hit Rei with something and knocked her off her horse, then threw a sack over her head. They thought she was Endymion."
"Why would they think that?" Tamahome asked, frowning.
"She was dressed in Endymion’s clothes, and was riding the Ghost," Miaka replied, feeling a blush touch her cheeks as she began to wonder what it must have looked like, her riding in on Panther and dressed in Hotohori’s clothes.
"Can I ask why you were dressed in our clothes?" Hotohori questioned gently, as if sensing her thoughts. "And why take our horses?"
Miaka’s blush deepened. "W-we had to get past the guards at the gate somehow," she muttered, not able to meet his searching eyes. "It was Rei’s idea, but I went along with it. She was determined to go, and I couldn’t let her go by herself…for all the good I did her when she needed me." Her smile was bitter and filled with self-loathing. "With all the fog and the cloaks wrapped around us…it really was difficult to tell the difference. Apparently we did too good a job at disguising ourselves, and the bandits mistook Rei for Endymion. Please believe me, Hotohori. I had no idea that this would happen, or I never would have let her talk me into going. In fact, I would have tried harder to talk her out of it!" She turned pleading eyes to the prince, who smoothed her hair back soothingly. If he blamed her at all, he was doing an excellent job of hiding it.
"How did you get down to the stables without being seen in the first place?" Mitsukake wanted to know.
Miaka bit her lip and shot Serena a glance. If she told, their secret would be out. Serena regarded her sister seriously and gave a single nod of her head, and Miaka sighed and began to tell them about the secret labyrinth. "It goes throughout the castle," she finished after a few minutes. "There are doorways and passages everywhere. Nobody seemed to know of it but us three, so we agreed to keep it a secret between us."
"Something like that could come in handy during an invasion, should it come to that," Hotohori murmured, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he paced the room. "It would be much easier to escape should the castle fall. More lives would be spared that way. Ladies, when there is time, I want you three to give myself and my brother a tour of this labyrinth of yours. Perhaps my father, as well. We must keep all available options open."
"My father would probably like to know of it, as well," Tamahome put in. "He is second in command of the king’s army, after all."
"Shouldn’t someone be going out to look for Rei?" Miaka demanded worriedly. "She’s been kidnapped and who knows what those villains had in store for her…for Endymion…"
"We were already aware of Rei’s absence before your return," Hotohori soothed her. "Endymion and I discovered that our horses were missing this morning, and he found two sets of women’s clothing hidden in the straw beside the Ghost’s stall." His voice became wry. "It didn’t take long to put two and two together when Serena came upon us asking if we had seen either of you. We issued a search party immediately to bring you back, but by that time you’d returned on your own and Rei was gone."
Miaka sighed and leaned back, closing her eyes wearily. "I wouldn’t blame anyone if they were really angry with us. We were really stupid to sneak out like that. I suppose Their Majesties are going to toss me into the dungeon or ban me from the kingdom or something now for letting Rei leave the castle like that…"
Hotohori chuckled and reached out to tap her nose. "We’re all well aware of how…persuasive my sister can be when she sets her mind on something," he stated humorously. "Nothing short of chaining her to a chair would have kept her inside the castle if she wanted to be out of it. She would have gone with or without you. My father blames himself, actually, for not keeping a more watchful eye on her, knowing how strong-willed she is."
"I still should have helped her more! Even the Ghost defended her better than I did!" Miaka stated, feeling hot tears prick her eyes. "And now the poor beast is…" She bit back a sob and turned her face away.
"Miaka, do not blame yourself for what happened," Mitsukake’s deep, quiet voice soothed her gently. "If you had not escaped them, you would no doubt have been captured as well, or even killed. Then how would we have known what happened? Think of the distress it would cause certain people to find your lifeless body lying in the meadow." His dark gaze swept over Hotohori, Tamahome, and her sister meaningfully, and Miaka nodded slowly.
"I think we should let her rest now," Hotohori stated quietly. "There isn’t much more we can do, and I need to inform my father and brother of this latest news so we can plan a way to get my sister back again."
"But we don’t know who took her," Serena protested. "I mean…bandits, yes, but who were they working for? They normally don’t leave the mountains if they can help it…"
Hotohori met her gaze seriously. "Do you really need to ask?" he replied. "I think we are all well aware of who is behind such a gesture of hostility." Turning to Miaka, he smiled at her reassuringly and brushed the back of his hand along her cheek in a light caress. "Sleep now," he commanded gently. "I’ll visit you later." He turned and left the room, and after a brief hug and a promise to sneak her sister some sweets, Serena did the same.
Tamahome hesitated before leaving, his sad gaze resting on Miaka resignedly. He opened his mouth to say something, closed it again, and smiled at her weakly instead as he turned to go. "I’m glad you’re okay, Miaka," he told her quietly. "I just wish I had been there to protect you."
"T-Tama…" she began softly as tears burned behind her eyes, but he’d already left the room. She cleared her throat to gather her composure and turned to Mitsukake with a weak smile. "Between the seven of us, you sure have your work cut out for you," she said in an attempt at humor. The big man merely smiled-a little uncomfortably, it seemed-as he carefully cleaned his supplies and put them in their places. With a bow, he turned to quietly leave the room so she could rest, and she sank down into the pillows with a sigh. She doubted she’d ever get to sleep with the image of Tamahome’s sad face lingering in her mind. She wished she could do something to help ease his pain. She wanted his friendship but he wanted so much more, and it was tearing her apart. Why can’t he find someone who can accept his love, she thought angrily to herself. Why must he remain so fixated on me? I’m not that special, and there are so many other girls who would love to have his devotion. He should just give up and find…someone…else…
Somewhere in the midst of her thoughts, she finally fell asleep.
When she woke again Mitsukake was back, mixing her some tea. Judging by the position of the sun, she had been asleep for several hours. Miaka made a face. If there was one thing she hated, it was sleeping the day away, even if she was injured. She studied Mitsukake quietly, smiling a little as his calm, relaxed presence began to soothe her emotions. It wasn’t often that she found herself alone with the kind healer, and she took the opportunity to strike up a conversation.
"So…how is Shouka doing?" she asked after a moment, and was pleased to note the startled look that passed over his face as his gaze flew to meet hers. She giggled a little, realizing that he hadn’t known she was awake. Or was it because she’d known about Shouka? "You know that there aren’t many secrets in this place with so many servants who love to gossip," she teased. "I heard that you went into town to save a lady from an illness a few months back, before this whole Ayurhu thing even started, and that you’ve been calling upon her quite often ever since."
He hesitated, then smiled slightly and replied, with a faint flush touching his cheeks, "Shouka’s illness was rather difficult to cure, and has left her physically weak. But she was doing very well, the last time I saw her."
"Are you going to marry her?" Miaka asked bluntly, propping herself up on the pillows, always ready for some good gossip. "She’s very beautiful, or so the kitchen maids say, although I’ve never met her myself." It was clearly a hint, and Mitsukake’s smile widened.
"Perhaps I’ll bring her to the castle sometime, when she regains her strength," he replied, "and let you meet her. I believe you and Serena would get along with her very well, although she is a bit shy. She’s…rather demure."
"We’d probably only end up scandalizing her then, if that’s the case," Miaka replied with a giggle. "But I’d like to meet her. She must be something special if she captured your heart so easily." He seemed slightly offended by that, she added hastily, "I mean, it’s just that you’re always so wrapped up in your work that you never even take time to notice women! Healing means a lot to you, doesn’t it? You’re always gone to other towns to help people, even though they have their own healers. But a lot of people depend on you. You’re one of the best in the land, you know. Even Luna admits to that, and you know how jealous she can get about her position, even if she doesn’t practice much anymore."
His smile was wry-and somewhat secretive-as he carefully rolled his supplies in their carrying case and tied the ends. "Now you’re just flattering me," he replied, sounding rather amused. "Luna is the one who trained me in the healing arts, after all, so it is to her I that owe my skills. If I can save even one life with them, that is all I need to live happily."
"Besides Shouka," Miaka stated with a grin. "So tell me…are you going to marry her one day?"
He stood and turned to go, looking back over his shoulder at her with that same little smile on his lips. "Perhaps," he stated simply, before walking to the doorway and stepping outside, closing the door behind him.
Miaka leaned back against her pillows with a satisfied smile and a single thought. I wonder if I’ll be invited to the wedding?
"Endymion…"
Rei stared up at her brother, excitement and hope beginning to build inside of her and push aside the pain and fear she’d been suffering for the past few hours. Endymion didn’t answer her; merely gazed down at her impassively with an odd little smile on his lips. There’s something not quite right about this, a little voice whispered in the back of Rei’s mind, but she really wasn’t inclined to care at the moment as she released a little sob and flung herself into her brother’s arms. "Oh, Endy! How did you get here? Did they capture you, too?" she cried, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. "We need to escape! How will we get out of here?"
His arms slowly came up around her and he stroked her hair soothingly, still not saying a word. There was something…different about him. The little voice was still whispering at the back of her mind, but the rest of her was too distraught and relieved and confused to pay much attention to it. "Let’s go home, Endy," she whimpered, feeling like a lost little girl. "I want to go home…please?"
There was a faint chuckle as he replied coolly, "But…you are home, dearest. You’re with your fiancee. One would think you’d be glad to be here with him."
She looked up at him in sudden horror. Within her mind, the niggling whisper rose to the volume of a scream. "How can you say that?" she gasped. "You know I broke my engagement to him weeks ago!"
Endymion regarded her calmly, a smirk playing about his lips. "Oh dear. Well. In that case, I should think you’d be grateful if he doesn’t kill you for such a foolish action," he sneered, roughly shoving her away.
She stumbled back, gaping at him in shock. "What in the world is the matter with you?!" she cried. "Endymion, what are you doing?"
"Ah, fer cryin’ out…" A muffled curse drew her attention to the doorway, and she noted with irritation that Tasuki had reappeared. He shook his head in disgust. "Are you blind, ya little idiot? Can’t ya see past the end of yer nose?!" he snapped at her.
"What do you want, Traitor?" she hissed at him. "Get out of my sight! You disgust me!"
Tasuki ignored her, moving instead to stand behind her and reaching out to thread his fingers into her hair in a tight grip, forcing her to face Endymion. "Look at ‘im, Princess!" he nearly snarled. "I know it’s hard, but try’n look past the magic! There’s an enchantment hidin’ the truth."
Rei’s protests stilled in her throat at the use of that word, and her startled gaze flew to her brother. "Enchantment?" she mouthed silently, her eyes searching Endymion’s face.
"What are you trying to do, you idiot?!" Endymion snapped, glaring daggers at Tasuki. "Get out of here!"
"The plan’s ruined anyhow, ya ahou! Ya don’t have ta play with her head like that!" the bandit snapped back.
Rei’s brow furrowed in confusion as she frantically searched Endymion’s face for…something. What it was, exactly, she wasn’t sure, but suddenly she knew that the man standing before her was not her brother. She concentrated hard, trying to peer beyond the physical plane, to see past this so-called magic to the man beneath, and it was as though an invisible veil was slowly being lifted from her eyes.
The changes were very subtle. Just a hint of difference in the shape of the eyes; their color just a shade brighter than Endymion’s blue midnight. His hair was a little shorter, the black strands just a little paler, with odd-colored highlights. His skin was too pale, the set of his features just a little off, and his expression was cold and calculating, not like Endymion at all. He was also shorter than her brother, and that was what she had sensed wrong about him in the first place. When she’d hugged him, her chin had touched his shoulder, when before it never would have reached past Endymion’s chest.
"Wh-who are you?" she whispered, suddenly frightened, as she took an unconscious step back toward Tasuki. "Y-you’re not my brother…"
The man bowed mockingly. "Very good, Princess. My name is Safir," he replied, and she started in surprise. He still sounded the same. His voice was the same as Endymion’s, and in the dim light, even without the enchantment, it was so hard to tell the difference between the two. No wonder she’d been so easily fooled!
"I don’t understand. Who are you?" she demanded. "Wh-why are you impersonating the crown prince?"
"All part of the plan," Tasuki muttered from behind her. "They were supposed ta kidnap Endymion an’ have Safir here take his place in the castle, as a spy."
"A spy?" Safir’s laughter was malicious. "Do you truly think that’s all I am, you incompetent little twit?" he snarled. "I am nothing so simple as a mere spy! I am an Assassin!" He narrowed his hard gaze on Tasuki, a smirk curling his lips. "Are you really that naïve? Do you believe whatever it is my Liege tells you, blindly following orders like the puppy you are? No wonder you are so easily manipulated. If you are not more careful, you’ll wind up dead, as well."
Rei’s eyes widened as she listened to Safir’s chilling words. An Assassin… She’d heard rumors of such people; men and women who lived by the night, people without souls or moral obligations, who killed for mere pleasure of it, using the most horrible means possible, before fading like wraiths into the shadows. She had never really believed that such monsters existed…until now. "Y-you would have been caught," she scoffed, although her voice wavered slightly.
"The enchantment would have fooled them long enough for me to complete my assignment," Safir replied smoothly. "It certainly succeeded in fooling you, did it not, and as I understand it, you are not a stupid woman."
"What’s the point of it, though?" Tasuki snarled, finally releasing Rei’s hair to clench his fists at his side. "Why send an assassin ta murder innocent people in their sleep? Why not just start a war an’ give ‘em a fair fightin’ chance?!"
Safir chuckled grimly, clucking his tongue. "But war is so…messy," he replied distastefully. "My way is so much simpler! I could have easily gotten in, killed the royal family-not to mention that nosy little wench-and taken over the throne of Davinshire before anyone could blink. The kingdom would have thought it was their beloved crown prince leading them, never knowing the truth. They would have continued to live their lives happily! The threat of war between Elithia and Davinshire would have been averted, peace treaties would have been contracted, and our armies would have come together to become the most powerful force in the world! And of course, should ‘Endymion’ die of a sudden illness, leaving no family and no heir behind, it would only be natural for King Ayurhu to step in and take over the throne. And I would quietly fade into the background, taking with me enough wealth to keep me in luxury for the rest of my life. It’s quite a clever little scheme, when you think about it."
Rei regarded the man in absolute horror. "You’re mad," she whispered. "How can you live with yourself, knowing what you planned to do?!"
Safir shrugged. "Fame and wealth and power have always interested me," he replied casually. "When my Liege approached me with this offer…well…how could I refuse? Surely there is some reasonable explanation why I was born looking so much like Davinshire’s crown prince. Who is to say that this was not my destiny from the very beginning? This would have been the ultimate challenge of a true Assassin!" He paused and tilted his head to one side. "True…it was only a secondary plan, just in case you came to your senses and broke your engagement to Ayurhu. He suspected that you might do as much, what with that little blond idiot who can’t keep her nose where it belongs. Personally, I’m glad you did break the engagement, since it would have given me my chance. That is…" Fury suddenly suffused his features, twisting them into a mask of rage. "Until you had to play the fool and ruin it for me! I should kill you for that!" In a swift move he backhanded her across the face, sending her stumbling back with a cry into Tasuki’s arms. "You are lucky that my fear of Ayurhu’s retribution is greater than my anger at your idiocy in ruining my plans," he hissed. "He is stronger than even me, and he has the aid of true Magic on his side, which even the most ruthless Assassin cannot hope to defeat, nor escape. Rest assured, little girl. If I did not value my own life so much, you would be lying dead at my feet!"
He turned and stormed out of the room, obviously not remembering-or just not caring-that he was supposed to have taken Rei to other quarters and have her cleaned up. The terrified princess watched him go, feeling her entire face throb with pain as she tried valiantly to hold back hysterical sobs. Even now…it was like watching her own brother walking away from her…abandoning her.
"Are you okay?" Tasuki asked softly. "I-I’m sorry about…"
"You!" she hissed, abruptly turning on the bandit and reaching out to grab his shirt, hauling him down to her level and glaring into his startled eyes. She was terrified of what would happen to her, and even more terrified of what would happen to her family and friends. First Ayurhu, and now Safir…and who knew how many other beasts lurked the night, waiting to tear her life and the lives of those she loved to shreds. Still…she hated being afraid, and she was only too glad to turn that fear into fury…and Tasuki was the perfect target to aim it at. "You…you agreed to this…this massacre?!" she almost shrieked, shaking him a little in much the same way he’d shaken her.
"I didn’t agree to nothin’ like this!" he yelled back, trying to release her grip on his shirt. "Ya don’t know anything, so don’t go castin’ blame! Ya weren’t supposed ta be involved!"
"Not be involved! How is this not being involved?! He would have killed me and my entire family if this plan had worked! Don’t you even care about that?! Or are fame and wealth and power the only things that matter to you, as well?!" She gave him a final, vicious shake before releasing him and turning away, covering her face with her hands as her tears finally got the better of her. "I expected so much better from you!" she sobbed. "You’ve betrayed everyone! You betrayed me! I thought you to be an annoying, loudmouthed child at worst, but I thought you at least had honor! I…I dared even to think that you might be a friend!" She lifted her bruised face to fix her gaze on haunted, amber eyes. "It doesn’t matter what you thought you were doing! To allow an entire kingdom to fall to ruin by the whims of a single madman is nothing but cowardice at its very worst," she added, her voice as defeated as he’d ever heard it. "I hope you can live with yourself, knowing what kind of fate you’ve doomed my father’s kingdom to by putting it so willingly into that monster’s hands. Death is too good for the likes of you."
Her strength was leaving her, and her entire body ached with the abuse it had received. She abruptly wanted nothing more than to sleep, and suddenly, her pride didn’t seem so important anymore. She turned away wearily, weaving unsteadily on her feet as she made her way into a corner of the room, where a pile of blankets lay bunched together on the dirty floor. She sank down on top of them, too tired to care or even notice how filthy they were, and closed her aching eyes. The last thing she heard before unconsciousness claimed her was the fading rhythm of footsteps.
She didn’t understand how she had come to be in the unfamiliar bedchamber, but as most Dreamers are inclined, she merely accepted this odd fact and moved on, allowing her interest to overcome suspicion as she looked upon her new surroundings with curious eyes.
The chamber was exquisite, richly decorated and cleaned and polished to perfection…and yet nothing could disguise the heavy smell of death that hung stark and somber in the air. The very atmosphere was weighted with it. It seemed to emanate from the shrouded figure lying in a magnificent canopy bed in the corner of the room, veiled with gauzy drapery that hung from the golden posters and lit dimly with dark candles whose wax bled thickly down their tapered sides to pool on the table beneath.
Several other figures, whose faces were hidden from view, knelt beside the bed in silent ritual, heads bowed and hands clasped before them in prayer. The Dreamer leaned forward, wanting to get a better look at the shadowed figures, and suddenly found herself standing right beside the bed. She blinked at the suddenness of the change, then turned her gaze to the figures kneeling beside her. To her dismay, even though she was close enough to reach out and touch them if she chose, she found that she still could not clearly see their features, hidden as they were in shadow.
The satin sheen of sun-gold hair drew her attention to two of the figures kneeling closest to the bed. One was a woman, very young and beautiful, whose hair flowed down her back to pool on the floor in a puddle of golden silk. Her quiet sobs echoed throughout the vast chamber, and everything about her bespoke of such grief that tears welled in the Dreamer’s own eyes, and she wanted nothing more than to put her arms around the woman and comfort her. Only the presence of the other stilled her actions. Unlike the woman, the young man did not seem inclined to grieve. He knelt there on one knee, as silent as Death’s shadow, shaded eyes fixed upon the dying figure in the bed expectantly, as though he was simply there to await the other’s passing. He radiated a kind of cold tranquillity that was completely at odds with the woman’s grieving form, and the Dreamer shivered as she watched him. He did not belong there, she thought uneasily. Such a cold man did not belong in such a place.
"My children…"
Her attention immediately left the two youths as the dying one spoke, his voice fragile with sickness and age. The shadows seemed to draw back slightly, revealing the form of a frail man with snow-colored hair and eyes that might once have been blue or brown or green in his youth, but had paled with the passing of years to a dull gray. Despite the weakness which plagued him, however, he held the noble bearing of a king, and the Dreamer realized suddenly that a king was exactly who he was. Unconsciously, her eyes rose to the wall above the bed and fell upon a dark tapestry hanging just beyond the candlelight’s reach. She wanted more than anything to see what the tapestry depicted; it suddenly seemed very important to know.
The glimmer of gold caught her eye, and she blinked in surprise, wondering if she was imagining things. It came again, that faint glitter, as delicate as a spider’s thread, highlighting the fragile lines of a flower. A rose. How lovely, she thought, unconsciously reaching to touch it. But the thread shifted suddenly; flowed into another form, turning from gold into the glittering silver outline of a blade, and she jerked her hand back before it could cut her. A sword? she silently questioned, her brow furrowing. Another thought whispered in her mind. Familiar…
"My children," the man-the dying king-spoke again, and the Dreamer jerked her gaze back to him, feeling guilty for allowing herself to become so distracted at such a somber time. The king was not looking at her, however; indeed, it seemed as though he wasn’t even aware that she stood there, his attention fixed solely on the two golden-haired youths before him.
They’re his children? the Dreamer thought, again trying to make out their features, and again failing.
"You know the end of my life is drawing near," the king whispered, lifting a frail hand to lay it softly on his daughter’s shoulder. "I feel the darkness hovering over me, but I will not be afraid to embrace it. I have lived a long and full life. I married a lovely woman of virtue and strong will, and I raised two strong, beautiful children, whom my love died giving birth to, for eighteen years. And now…I am ready to die. My beloved waits for me to join her."
"No, Father. Please. There are still healers who…" the princess began, but her father’s fingers against her lips stilled her protests.
"My daughter, you know there is nothing the healers can do," the king told her gently. "They have tried, but to no avail. This sickness will not leave me. By nature or sorcery, it has taken this body into its jaws and will not relinquish it. I have ruled this country for many decades. The people I love so much are happy and prosperous, and I know I am leaving them in good hands…with you, my daughter, as their new queen."
There was low murmuring among the few other courtiers and servants in the room, but none were as loud as the golden-haired man-the prince-who leaped to his feet in sudden rage. "How can you pass the crown to her?!" he shouted, fists clenching. "I am the firstborn! I am the eldest, the crown prince! It is my right to take the throne in your place!"
The king regarded his son through stern eyes. "You are of my flesh and blood," he began in a severe tone, "and I love you as any father loves his son. But I am not so blind and sick that I cannot see what kind of character you possess in your heart. I have tried my best to guide you as you grew, showing you as well as I could the difference between right and wrong. In the end, however, you had to choose your own path, and I was forced to watch you choose unwisely time and time again. If left to you, this kingdom would diminish and wilt as a flower in the heat of the desert. The people would suffer. The heritage of this land would die. As much as I love you, I cannot put innocent lives into your hands, knowing that you are not fit to hold them." He cut himself off suddenly as great, wracking coughs possessed his body, leaving him lying weak and exhausted when they subsided. A touch of red gleamed upon his lips.
The princess gave a cry of alarm and rose to her feet to call a doctor, but the king’s hand on her wrist stilled her. "You, my daughter," he continued in a hoarse rasp, "have shown yourself to be truthful and vigilant, with a kind and compassionate heart. You have shown yourself to be a wise and caring woman, and such a woman is what this kingdom needs to continue to prosper and grow." He turned tearing eyes back to her brother. "It matters not if you are the firstborn, my son. What matters to me is that the people are well cared for, and she is the one who has proven to me time and again that she can wisely handle such responsibility."
The prince stood nearly quivering in his rage, and slowly, the silent figures around them rose to their feet and withdrew, vanishing like wraiths into the shadows until only the royal family and the Dreamer were left. She wanted to leave, as well, suddenly terribly afraid of the furious young man before her. She stepped away from the bed, wanting the shadows to swallow her, but they did not.
"You have no right to do this, Father!" the prince spat viciously, raising a shaking fist at the old man. "It is custom that the firstborn be crowned ruler! You would break that ancient custom simply for some insane belief that I would not make a suitable king?!"
The dying man merely turned his face away, refusing to answer his son. The prince turned loathing eyes to his sister, who turned her face away, sobbing quietly. "I suppose I must congratulate you, dear sister," he hissed. "Or should I call you Your Majesty now? It matters little, I suppose, for I will never see you as my queen, not when I know that I am truly the rightful ruler of this country!"
He turned with a curse and strode out of the room, heading straight toward the Dreamer, who was too shocked to move. As he drew closer, his bowed head suddenly snapped up, and a pair of brilliant blue eyes, as cold and hard as chips of ice, pierced right into her own with undisguised hatred and fury. She shrieked as recognition swamped her in a suffocating wave, throwing up her hands to ward him off. She expected to feel his hands come about her throat at any moment, squeezing the life from her body…but instead he passed straight through her as though she was nothing more than a wraith, and a cold breeze swept over her in his wake, chilling her to the bone.
In the instant that chilling breeze touched her, she snapped awake, sitting bolt-upright in her bed, covers clutched to her chest protectively as tears began to burn behind her eyes. What a dream! she thought, panting hard as she stared blindly down at her lap. What a horrible nightmare…
The moon was still out; it was barely dawn, even though the castle was beginning to stir with signs of life. There was no use going back to sleep now. After that dream, she doubted she could, anyway. Shivering violently, as though to shake off the last of the nightmare, Serena pushed back the covers and rose from bed to prepare for her day.
"I’m worried about you, Little Sister," Miaka told Serena bluntly as she plopped herself down beside her and looked her over critically.
"Dare I ask why?" Serena asked wryly, regarding the older girl quizzically.
"Well, for starters, you’ve been sitting there staring at your plate-which, I might add, is still full of food-for the past fifteen minutes, and for another thing…well…to put it bluntly, you look like death warmed over. So out with it, already. What happened to make you look like such a haunted spirit?"
"Aside from our best friend being kidnapped by a complete lunatic and the entire kingdom preparing for war? I really couldn’t tell you," Serena muttered, shoving the plate away from her as she concluded that her appetite was gone and was not about to make an appearance anytime soon. "And what are you doing out of bed, anyway? You should still be resting," she scolded absentmindedly.
Miaka sighed and rested her chin in her palm. "I was bored, and it won’t kill me to take a walk," she retorted. "It’s just my shoulder, and it feels better already. See?" She rotated her arm, then winced at the sharp jab of pain. "Well…okay, so it feels almost better," she amended sheepishly, making a face at Serena upon seeing her knowing smirk.
"I think what I need to feel better is a good argument with our esteemed crown prince," Serena reported glumly. "I don’t even care what we fight about, just as long as it takes my mind off things for awhile."
"And getting Endymion mad at you is a good way to do it, eh?" Miaka replied wryly. "Even though you’ll be in a horrible mood for the rest of the day afterwards?" She giggled and shook her head in exasperation. "It’s always been such a love-hate relationship with the two of you. Aren’t you ever going to grow beyond it?"
"Why should we?" Serena shrugged. "It’s familiar. It’s comfortable."
"It’s insane," Miaka finished bluntly. "You said yourself that you loved him. Are you really going to be content to spend your life arguing with him and pretending that you could care less?"
"Yes, that’s pretty much the idea," Serena replied cheerfully.
"So what happens if-or should I say when-he gets married?" Miaka pointed out smugly. "King Reagan isn’t going to live forever, you know, and when Endymion takes the throne, he’s going to have to marry to produce an heir to eventually take over for him. Are you going to be able to watch him marry another woman, raise children that aren’t your own? Oh! Maybe you’ll be lucky enough so that he’ll hire you to be his first daughter’s nursemaid! Then you won’t have to leave the castle and give up arguing with him, and things can continue on how they’ve always been!" Sarcasm practically dripped from her tongue, but Serena remained stubbornly silent, scowling down at her cold breakfast. Miaka sighed. "It will be painful, you know," she added softly. "No matter how much you think you’re ready for it to happen, when it’s announced that Endymion is engaged to another woman, the news will strike you through the heart like a burning arrow. You’ll never be the same again. And you’ll always regret not telling him how you really feel in time."
Now Serena looked up, an expression of guilt in her eyes. She knew suddenly that it was no longer her that her sister was talking about. "Miaka…I’m…" she began, but the other girl merely smiled and shook her head, standing to leave.
"If you’re looking for Endymion, I think he sitting in with the war council. They’ve been planning defenses and attacks on Elithia all night, so they’ll probably be breaking to eat soon. Maybe you’ll have the chance to have your argument with Endymion then." She reached out to playfully ruffle Serena’s hair before leaving the kitchens.
Serena stared down at the table for a moment longer, thoughtfully chewing her lower lip, before she finally stood and dumped her breakfast into a trough for the dogs. Then, with a determined stride, she left the kitchen to seek out Endymion.
The doors to the council hall were shut tight, but she could hear voices coming from inside the room, even through the heavy wood. She frowned as she leaned in to listen closely. They sounded angry; obviously an argument was going on in there, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. It didn’t appear that they were going to let out anytime soon, though, and she sighed with disappointment and leaned back against the door. Well, it looked like she’d have to find something else to do for some entertainment…
She squeaked in surprise when the door abruptly swung open, causing her to lose her balance and stumble backward, arms windmilling frantically before she landed-rather painfully, as it was-flat out on her back, right at the feet of a rather startled crown prince. She stared up at Endymion’s upside-down countenance and couldn’t help but notice how tired he looked. His face was white, his hair and clothes rumpled, and dark circles stood out in stark contrast beneath his eyes as he regarded her. "Dare I ask what you’re doing here?" he questioned, but even the amusement in his voice couldn’t cover the sheer exhaustion, and she suddenly felt very sorry for him.
"Um…I just…that is…I came to see if…anyone was hungry!" she exclaimed in a burst of inspiration. "They’re serving breakfast, and since everyone’s been in here all night, I thought I’d bring some food if you were ready to eat. So…um…is anyone hungry?" she finished weakly as she struggled to sit up. Endymion’s hands settled about her waist, and he easily lifted her to her feet, making her blush in the process. "Er…thanks," she mumbled, trying not to meet his gaze.
"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Serena, but our meetings are over at this moment, so we’ll be heading to breakfast shortly," King Reagan replied. He smiled at the girl tiredly as he left the room, followed by several other men, most of whom looked to be soldiers. Nuriko and Tamahome were among them, she noticed, and of course Hotohori was there as well. The younger prince was the last one to leave, nodding to Serena politely, but as he passed his brother, he shot the crown prince a certain look that caused Endymion to bristle defensively. "She has the right to know," Hotohori stated gravely, before continuing on his way. Serena got the distinct impression that she had just missed something important.
"I have the right to know what?" she asked, regarding Endymion suspiciously. When he didn’t meet her gaze, her suspicion grew. "What happened in there?" she demanded. "I heard arguing…was it something about me?"
"It doesn’t matter," Endymion replied tiredly.
"Okay. Well, if you won’t tell me, I’ll just go ask Hotohori," Serena declared innocently, starting after the younger prince, but Endymion grasped her arm before she could run off.
"Follow me," he sighed. "If you insist on knowing, I’ll tell you, but not before I’ve eaten something."
Serena followed him toward his chambers, where a servant was laying out a small meal for him. He ate slowly, as though he was almost too tired to chew, but she suspected it was more that he was doing his best to avoid the subject at hand. She did her best to be patient, but when he took five minutes to chew one bite of bread, she’d had enough. "I’m not going to leave until you tell me what went on in that meeting, just so you know," she stated, crossing her arms stubbornly and slouching down in her chair. "What do I have to do with anything?"
Endymion sighed and put down his bread. He stared down at his plate for a moment, as though pondering on where to begin, and then lifted his eyes until they met her own. "We received…a message," he stated quietly. "It was sent from Elithia…using magic." At Serena’s wide-eyed expression, he hastily assured her, "Don’t worry, nobody was hurt or anything. It was just a globe of light that appeared out of nowhere. It hovered over the table and pulsed for a few moments, and then this…this voice came out of it. It was the eeriest thing I’d ever seen." He shuddered despite himself, and Serena shivered in response, almost able to picture the scene in her mind.
"What did the voice say?" she whispered.
"It told us that Rei was being held in Elithia…but of course we already knew that. What the voice also told us was that Elithia’s king was willing to exchange her for something…someone…else, and that if we didn’t agree, not only would we forfeit Rei’s life, but Elithia would attack Davinshire and begin a war, as we suspected it would."
"And who…did they ask for?" Serena managed to ask around the knot in her throat, even though she was entirely certain as to that person’s identity.
Endymion sighed, his eyes closing in frustration. "They asked for you, Serena," he replied quietly, his voice soft with defeat…and something else. "They wanted you, although they refused to tell us why."
"I see."
And she did see. She saw all too clearly what Ayurhu was trying to do. To use the princess and the country to get to her…of course it was a brilliant tactic on his part. She was, after all, simply a servant girl, and therefore not half as important as Rei or the kingdom. She swallowed hard and slowly rose to her feet to walk to the window, trying to sound as careless as possible when she asked, "So…when am I leaving for Elithia?"
There was a sharp clatter as a silver goblet struck the table, spilling its contents everywhere. Warm, frothy milk ran unnoticed across the table and dripped off the end to the wooden floor with soft plips. "What?" Endymion gasped, staring at the girl in horror.
Serena managed a grim smile. "Well, it’s obviously the right thing to do," she stated logically. "Her Highness and Davinshire are much more important than a mere servant. To want only me in exchange for their safety is quite the bargain. If His Majesty is smart, he’d snatch up the offer while it’s still open, before Ayurhu gets some other crazy whim into his head and backs out of it."
"You little idiot!"
He was right behind her; she hadn’t even heard him get up, so it wasn’t any wonder that she was so startled when his hands clamped about her shoulders and spun her around to face his furious gaze. "Do you really think I’d give you up to the enemy just like that?!" he nearly shouted, his eyes blazing like blue fire. "What kind of monster do you take me for?!"
"Rei’s life is in danger! All the people of Davinshire are in danger!" Serena yelled back, trying to free herself from his grip. "You’d be a bigger monster not to send me to Elithia!"
"I will not sacrifice your life on the whims of a madman," Endymion hissed, jerking her closer to him. "For one thing, there is no guarantee that he wouldn’t attack Davinshire anyway; he seems determined enough to have it."
"But what about your sister? Doesn’t she matter at all?" Serena yelled.
"She matters a great deal to me…but then again, so do you," he replied, his voice low and intense. "There are other ways, Serena. It’s as good as murder to give you up to that lunatic, and my father knows that I would never allow you to be sent to that cursed place. I’d sooner go myself, since it was me they were after in the first place."
"But…"
"No, Serena. I won’t hear of it," he insisted. "My answer is no. You will not be sacrificed for anyone, not even the country. There are other ways, and I’ll not rest until I find them."
"But…what about Rei?" Serena whispered, her eyes growing glassy with unshed tears. "I…I can’t stand the thought of her being with that…that monster. If sending me over can get her back again…"
"No. As the crown prince, I am ordering you to put those thoughts out of your head, do you understand?" Endymion’s gaze was stern, but his hands were gentle as he pulled her closer to wrap her in a gentle embrace. "Do you honestly think that losing you would make anything better for us?" he breathed into her hair as one hand stroked soothingly up and down her back.
"Yes, I do think that," she whispered back, closing her eyes as she took in his familiar, comforting scent, her face buried against his chest. Tears burned in her eyes and tightened her throat, but she stubbornly held them back. A part of herself was relieved that Endymion was so reluctant to send her away, and the rest of her hated herself for feeling such selfish relief. Was she really that much of a coward?
"Rei will be all right," he murmured against her hair. "As long as Ayurhu plans to use her as bait to lure you to him, he won’t harm her. I’m sure of it."
"I wish I could be as certain as you," she replied, frowning. "How can you know that he won’t kill her out of pure spite?"
"I can’t be certain of that. But maybe I’m just selfish," he whispered. "Don’t you understand that I can’t risk losing the both of you to him? Losing my baby sister is difficult enough. But to lose you as well…"
"I’m not worth it, Endymion! I’m not worth risking your sister’s life or the lives of the people of this kingdom!" Serena cried, trying to shove him away.
He only tightened his hold on her, his head falling to rest at the crook of her neck. "Oh, Serenity," he murmured, his lips brushing softly at her throat as he spoke. "You never did understand your own worth, did you?"
She froze, startled at his gentle words, and he slowly raised his head from her shoulder.
Their eyes locked.
Time stopped.
And when it slowly started again, Serena found herself being drawn even closer as Endymion’s face moved ever-so-slowly toward her own, eyes focused intently on her mouth. Her breath stilled in her throat as she realized his intent, and lashes slipped shut over dazed eyes just as warm, soft lips touched her own.