BLANKET COMPANION

1. Priestess

Mars in the winter spells "bad luck" for any inexperienced Terran man. This applied to the young blonde general from Earth, who was found looking up at the crimson sky, death reflecting in his despondent gaze. The first time he had looked up he had only thought "beautiful." Now it was "beautiful" and "sinister," the most unpleasant combo in the universe.

If he had not gotten separated from his men during the teleportation, he may still be on that mission the king had sent him on. The mission was of highest priority, so to forget something so urgent meant that the detrimental cold air actually penetrated his skull and reached his cerebrum. "What is that mission?" He wondered silently to himself. It did not seem to matter any more. What mattered most was that he survived until someone rescued him. Yet, the probability of that happening seemed most low under the cynical frigid environment of the notorious planet he unluckily got stranded on.

When he felt he could not stand anymore he fell. As he fell, he felt the world open up and swallow him into a black hole. A mystic glow appeared from afar. It gleamed as if it was a star or a jewel on the planet. It grew brighter as it moved closer, so by the time the light reached the general, it was more like a beam of an orange, golden ray trying to break through. Even as it stilled around the man, it flickered slightly because of the storm. The one in the russet robe holding the light, which was in actuality just a lamp, bent over to check for vital signs. He was definitely still alive and worth saving.

After a full day of sleeping, he finally felt for consciousness. The first movements he made were wiggling his toes and bending his fingers. The second movements he made were opening his eyes and sitting up. He groaned, feeling hungry and groggy, yet warm and comfortable. He had been sleeping on a pile of cushions in the middle of a large circular room made entirely of red marble. He was told that he thrashed in his sleep, so seeing the cushions still neatly placed under him was beyond shocking. He must have slept like the dead.

"Good evening, General Jadeite. It's nice to see you are alive," a hooded figure spoke. Judging by the pitch of the monotone voice, he knew she was a woman. Just watching her at a distance, near one end of the room, standing with a raging fire her size made him guarded.

Jadeite reached for his side, but found it only bare.

"Looking for this?" She asked, not meaning to sound dangerous, but holding up the gleaming weapon out of its scabbard diminished any harmlessness she intended to delineate.

"Who are you?"

"I am the priestess of this temple," she said, returning the sword to its cover. She tossed it to him. Jadeite was unprepared and kind of juggled his weapon around before he balanced it between his hands. "It's made of fine metal, but not as fine as the metal we have back home." When she said this, he could hear a smile coming from under the shadows of her hood. "But Earthen ware has its own aesthetic glamour I suppose."

Jadeite fastened his sword to his side and hastily adjusted it in a comfortable position as he got up and tried to back away from her.

"I've been told how daunting I may seem, but never has anybody been so terrified of me. I do not know whether to be flattered or aghast."

"I am not terrified," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "I am…"

"Yes, I know. You are one of Prince Endymion's closest friends, one of his advisors, and the youngest of four generals. Don't look so surprised, General Jadeite. I know you very well."

Jadeite gulped, uncomfortable at the way she read him like an open book. "Why did you save me?" He asked.

"I believe that if anyone still has a chance to live do deserve to live." She tilted her head up slightly, so he could see her small mouth twist in a grin. "I also believe that if there is reason to live, there is no reason to die."

Jadeite's eyes strayed to the fire that was still blazing behind her. She knew what was distracting him. "Think what you like, General. You'll think better once you have a clear head. What is the cure for blurry-eyed men? Yes, food in the belly, am I right?" She disappeared behind a camouflaged door.

Jadeite was not afraid and this was what he told himself numerous times. He spun around crazily paranoid that she would appear from behind him and attack.

"You must be hungry."

Jadeite spun around and drew his sword instantly. The priestess seemed unmoved by this action. She only placed a tray of food a few feet away from him and walked towards her fire as if he was nothing. When she walked, it seemed like she did not use her feet. It was like watching a ghost floating around to get to places.

Jadeite moved toward his plate of food without thinking. Courteously, the priestess had her back turned to him as she sat facing the fire, legs curled neatly under her. Feeling no shame, Jadeite feasted like a starving man. The water tasted sweet to his tongue, the rice tasted purely divine, and the dried beef tasted piquant, but was great to chew. As stale as the bread was against the insides of his mouth, it still worked its magic on his stomach. The days without food made him aware of how close he was to starving to death once more.

Finishing his meal with haste, he slowly advanced towards the priestess. For a moment he studied her hands clasped together, making peculiar symbols. He could not read her hidden face, but he could guess she was in deep concentration judging by the fact that she did not seem to notice he was beside her.

"Thank you for saving my life," Jadeite murmured, bowing his head just slightly in gratitude.

The Priestess's tightly clenched eyes shot open, startled by him. Not even hearing him, she shouted, "Don't distract me!" She bounced away from him quickly, skidding on her bottom across the floor. Carelessly she had let her hood slip from her head, revealing her true identity.

"Oh no…" She breathed, quickly standing up. Even her intimidating uptight stance did not make Jadeite anxious of her, especially after her outstanding display of a falling priestess.

What was under the shadows was finally revealed. The priestess had violet eyes and thick black hair tied in a loose pony tail. Her face had a peachy glow to it, on the border of pale and tanned. "You're gorgeous," he proclaimed in amazement.

"Excuse me!" She nearly shouted. Her eyes were inflamed and the skin around her cheek bones turned slightly pink. "Do you know what happens to a man who disrupts a reading?"

"Forgive me. I didn't understand… What exactly were you reading through that fire?"

"I was looking for the people you came with," she answered, still miffed by his audacity to interrupt her.

His eyes lit up. "Did you find them? Are they alive?"

"Of course they are. You're just the one who got unlucky, getting caught in the storm during your transportation. By the way, don't come around this time of year; weather on Mars is unpredictable and that definitely does not bode well for Terrans. Don't act like you're smart and try to kill yourself on my planet."

"Pardon." He said slowly, distinguishing the two syllables.

She floated effortlessly toward him and reached her hand out to grab his face. Jadeite thought she planned to hurt him and tried to move his face away, but the priestess touched his cheek before he could move. For a moment, he remained absolutely still, staring into her violet eyes. He was prepared for his punishment because no way was he going to try hurting the beauty before him just to defend himself. Now, her other hand came up and made contact with the corner of his mouth. From that part of his face she brandished a speck of rice and smiled clandestinely at him.

"What happened to the warrior? The one, who planned to kill me if he deemed it necessary," the priestess asked him in her soft voice.

Jadeite regarded her, through dark, mesmerized eyes. Dropping all his defenses, he purposefully, little by little, drew his face nearer to hers as he answered, "I never actually planned to hurt you."

"Are you prepared for your punishment?" She asked him, her hand running along his scalp now.

"Please," he whispered, lowering his face, so that it was just a mere inch from her face.

She smiled and he unexpectedly felt a sharp pain at the back of his head from her plucking out a strand of his hair. He jumped back, wincing in pain as he rubbed the back of his head. Blinking back the short lived pain, he watched the priestess raising a golden piece of his hair between her delicate fingers. "I will not fall for your lewd behavior, General," she said. "You don't know who I am."

Jadeite swallowed hard, trying to relieve his suddenly parched throat.

The Priestess looked at him, blindly tossing his hair to the hungry flames.

"That's my punishment?"

"Would you like to offer your blood and bones all together?"

At the horrified look on his face, the priestess found that she had been returned to her high place in his eyes.

He gulped; his Adams Apple bobbing worriedly below his chin. "What are you going to do with my hair?"

"Nothing. Just needed to do something to you for distracting me." With that said, she loosened up just slightly to shrug at him. The priestess turned to her fire again and looked as if she lost her self in it even though, in reality, her entire being was in tune with every move he made.

Jadeite relaxed his tense muscles, but still found it hard to talk normally. "So, what are you doing here alone? I assume you don't live here."

"Good assumption, General. From where I was born, it is tradition that at one's coming of age, one must make a pilgrimage. My ancestors built this temple for me, my mother, and my grandparents before me. It is forbidden to anyone other than people of my blood to enter, but I will make an exception for you, General. I did choose to take you in on my own accord."

"For that, I thank you again," Jadeite said, this time sweeping a low bow that reached his waist.

"You're welcomed, but I wouldn't have left you there even if you were ungrateful. You have come too far and endured too much to let it all go so soon."

Jadeite's eyes grew wider.

"Before I even saw you, I knew you would come. The fire is only a line, but everything I know is in here," she said, pointing to her forehead.

"So, you know why I am here," Jadeite spoke with something akin to hope.

"Yes, but I cannot read the future as clearly as I define the powers of good and evil. After all, I am only a priestess, not a fortune-teller."

Immediately, Jadeite slumped, feeling his hopes slip away.

"Let me warn you that what you wish for is hard to get. Earth is not the only planet at risk of evil doers. You must understand that even if you do not successfully complete your mission, you must live to fight that evil."

"Can't you tell me more?"

"I believe time will tell you more than I can."

The priestess walked up to him and gently took his hand. She led him outside, never letting go of his hand in her own.

They walked a couple of hundred steps, holding hands silently. He knew she was taking him back to his men, but he did not want to leave just yet.

"General Jadeite!" Jadeite heard his men calling him, but he still could not see them.

"It's time for you to go, General. Good luck," she said, lightly placing her hand on the back of his neck. The hand did not move, instead she put force into it, so that his head was brought down to her level. Their lips met in a soft, tender kiss before she pulled away. Jadeite looked at her with clouded eyes before another shout called to him. He looked up and saw specks of men were visible just above her head.

Quickly he seized her hand and said excitedly, "Come with me! I will take care of you."

The priestess smiled gently at him. "I will follow you. I won't be the one letting go."

Jadeite beamed and started at a run, all the while pulling her with him. The specks grew bigger and bigger. In all his excitement, he released the hand he held and quickened his pace when he saw that each man's face was now clear.

"General! You're alive!" An old soldier cried as he reached his commander.

"I am. All thanks to her." Jadeite waved his hand behind him.

His men looked behind him quizzically and then looked back at him. "Who, General?"

"The girl," Jadeite spoke, astonished to find no one behind him.

"Are you running a fever, Sir? We better get you into shelter."

Jadeite pulled the man by his collar and growled. "I am not crazy. She was right here! And so was the temple!"

"Y-y-yesss, Sir. Of course, Sir!" It wasn't the chill that made the soldier stutter.

Jadeite released him, anguish suddenly washing over him. Where did she go?