A Mirror's Reflection
Author: JurisAnnarielle
Disclaimer: I do not own the Utena characters. I am just borrowing them. I do claim rights to
Annarielle and any other original characters. Oh..... and also this story.
Chapter One: The Knight of a Beast

There she stood by the lake. The moonlight illuminating her beauty. She was a bright light in a dark atmosphere. But who was she?

She, being the Lady Annarielle, stood there staring at her reflection in the water. The mirror image of herself being her only friend. She never let anyone else near her. The pain was too extreme to risk meeting people. Besides, goes out at midnight?

Annarielle threw a rock at her reflection, causing a reaction of ripples to distort her image. Her deep violet eyes glared down at the ripples as if it were their fault she was cursed. She wondered how long it has been since the witch put the spell on her. After running away from home she had lost track of time. All she knew was she was child when she left. Now she was a woman. But even so, she had been a woman for quite a while. The spell put on her also caused her to become immortal. ~Maybe it's been fifty years. Or a hundred. But why curse me like this? Why couldn't I be cursed like Aurora? She was put to sleep and awakened by a kiss. Me? There is no cure for...~ She sighed as she got lost in her thoughts.

She abruptly turned her beautiful face towards the woods, startled at the sound of twigs cracking. The Lady stood perfectly still hoping to make her presence unknown by her intruder. Who was it? Was it the hunter from earlier? She had hoped not.

A knight stepped into the clearing and paused just a few feet from the young girl. What was this "child" doing out here at such a late hour? ~From the looks of it, she is probably escaping the horrors of Palace life.~ The knight cleared its throat and continued to gaze on the beautiful creature. ~She looks like something from heaven... A beauty that has been forgotten in this world~

Annarielle still stood there motionless, wondering what the knight was going to do. ~Probably try to rescue me... Stupid knights. Think they are doing something chivalrous.~

The tall knight pulled the helmet off, causing thick, long orange hair to cascade everywhere. This Knight was a woman. Annarielle stared at the pumpkin haired beauty in shock.

"Are you stuck out here, milady?" The tall girl asked.

~Hah! Trying to be the valiant knight! I don't think so.~ "No I am not 'stuck' out here." She said a little sarcastically. "I know where I am supposed to be."

The Knight shifted a little uneasily from one foot to the next. "I am sorry, milady. I did not mean to offend you."

Annarielle sighed in disinterest. "Tell me. What is a woman doing dressed like a Knight?"

The girl's green eyes watched Annarielle carefully; trying to decide in her mind if this girl was an enemy or not. Finally making up her mind about the girl she answered proudly. "I was appointed the head Knight at a nearby kingdom. I offered to take a quest that no other man would take to look for a missing woman."

Annarielle blinked nervously. ~Missing woman? Uh oh...~ "Who are you?" It was more of a demand than it was a question.

Flicking her wayward curls out of her face, the Head Knight answered again with that proud tone. "Juri Arisugawa. Would it be rude to ask for yours?" She asked with a small hint of sarcasm.

Amethyst eyes bore into Emerald ones. ~How dare she use such a tone with me! ... What do I do? I can't tell her who I really am...~ "I am a mere peasant girl. My name isn't that important" ~Hah!~

"So what am I supposed to call you? Peasant Girl?" Juri laughs briskly. "Come now. Tell me your name. It's only fair that I told you mine."

~Damn... Think Annarielle... Think. Give her a name, dammit!~ "Melody... My name is Melody."

Juri stayed silent as if she was trying to figure out if Annarielle was lying or not. Annarielle stood just as silent to not rouse suspicion. Did this bold girl believe her?

After a few moments of hearing nothing but the calm water, Juri spoke. "It seems to suit you."

"Pardon?"

Juri cleared her throat again. "I said it suits you. A name meant for a beautiful angel. It fits."

Annarielle was caught off guard by Juri's compliments. She just stared at her for quite awhile. She turned her back to the girl and gazed back at the lake. "Nice of you to think so. Well, Arisugawa." She paused as a tiny frog croaked and jumped from the shore to a lonely Lillypad. "It is quite late. I must bid you farewell." Annarielle bowed her head to Juri.

"I can guide you home if you like." Juri offered still trying to live up to the code of a Knight.

"No thank you. I am quite capable of taking care of myself." Amethyst eyes glared into Juri's. She spoke again, her voice still very clip. "I bid you farewell, chivalrous Knight."

"I will return tomorrow night." The curly hair girl said, then disappeared into the shadows before Annarielle has anytime to refuse.

Annarielle stared at the spot the girl once occupied. ~I was rude to her...~ She thought as she played with the little heart shaped pendant hanging just above her breast line. ~But... I haven't had human contact in years... I can barely remember how to act. I was so beastly to her. I am... a beast.~ She glared at the sun that was marring the horizon. Her enemy.

The first ray of sunlight lit up the vast darkness instantly. Annarielle turned her head away, the brightness of the sun burning her eyes. She felt the extreme heat from the main source of light warm her chilled body.

The sun's rays shot down from the sky and enveloped her shapely form. Her body took on an odd silver glow and began its transformation. It slowly stretched out and shortened in various places. Her face becoming longer and fuzzier with each passing second. Her delicate hands turned into hooves as so did her feet. Once where the beautiful girl of the night stood was now a unicorn.