This is a fairy story. It was written in a fairy-ish mood. I tremble to think what it'll be like when I look at it prosaically.

Disclaimer: Rayearth does not belong to me, nor do the characters associated with it. Entiara and the oak are mine, however.

Credit must be given! I don't really know how Lantis saved Primera. In a fanfic I read once it detailed him saving her during a forest fire. Whether that is fact or the author's creation, it has become part and parcel of my mind. I'm sorry, I don't know which fanfic I read it in. I do remember liking it very much! If I have taken your creation as fact, please take it as a compliment. Perhaps it was in the series. I don't even remember details, only a mental picture of him and her. If it is a problem, please let me know.

Forgotten Tears, Recovered Loss by kamazova

I flew over the field today. It used to be a forest. It used to our home. Before the fires. The flowers are still growing. Perhaps the magic will return.

I must return. My home now is in an oak tree. He heard the cries of his children and his fellow spirits. I found him as he wept. I wept with him. He said they are not truly gone. We only mourned for their pain, not their loss. I live in his arms, within his smile, inside his voice. He protects me.

Still I have lost. My sister disappeared in the fires. I did not hear her cry. But I have not found her since. Perhaps she was lost, along with the tree spirits. Perhaps her cry mingled with their heartbreak. Or perhaps not.

My oak says my face grows too long for a fairy so young. He says sorrow is not suited for a blithe spirit. 'Go find her,' he tells me. 'I knew your sister too. I would have heard her song as she passed from air to light. She has not left this world.' His deep smile, etched in wooden rivulets of ecstasy and grief, rumbles with unspoken laughter. 'Leave, Entiara, as she has left.'

A fairy world, that fairies have forsaken.

~ * ~

I found her in a castle, wandering through its halls. My heart leapt at the sight of her, long since seen.

"Primera, you're alive," I cried in joyous tones. She flew towards me, arms open wide and a wordless greeting on her lips. Our arms entwined and wings fluttered. The very air changed as our divided love was once more made whole.

"There is a change in you," I quieted, examining her face. Her features softly lengthened and a fretfulness I'd never seen filled her eyes.

"I've been with someone since our home was destroyed," she murmured. Her voice sharpened as she added, "He's mine! And no one else can have him."

She took my hands and led me to a windowsill high above the hall out of sight, sound, and reach. We smoothed out our skirts, but with our hands still entwined, our true reunion began.

"I was trapped," she spoke with a quiver, "trapped by the fires. I had flown from our home once it was destroyed by the flames, flew with all our fairy kinfolk, but we all separated. We were all trapped." She paused and looked up questioningly. " I never saw you, though. Where were you?"

My heart skipped with an old memory, then seared with pain. "Visiting a fern nymph. He lived beside the river spirit, who led me out of the woods. But please, continue."

Her face brightened as she explained, "I thought it was the end, when Lantis suddenly crashed through the flames and he saw me and placed me inside his armor. Shielded by magic he escaped with me from the woods. I've been with him ever since. I owe him everything."

"Who's Lantis?" I asked blankly. She laughed and suddenly pulled me off the sill. "I'll show you," she giggled and dragged me through the air.

We flew over many interesting personages in her search. There was a lavender-haired man who called to Primera in dismay, but she ignored him. I'm certain I saw a marshmallow with a gaping mouth jump at us—but he missed. Primera drew in her breath in a long hiss at the sight of a cheerful redhead, but she ignored my questions. As we paused for a rest inside a library I broached the hope of her return.

"Primera," I began hesitantly, "I'm living in the oak tree beside the river in the forest that was untouched. You remember? He was an old friend of our willow cousins." She cocked her head for a moment, then nodded in memory.

"He's the one who told me to look for you. I thought I'd lost you," my voice failed as I spoke and sweetened tears filled both our eyes.

"I had too," she cried. We held each other and wept happily for a few minutes, but our tears were soon shed.

"His spirit is aged and gentle, and I live in the den of his magic. It's safe there," I told her. She nodded again and smiled. "I was hoping, now that I'd found you," I surprisingly began to fumble, "that perhaps, you'd be able to or you might want to, move in with me."

Her eyes filled with tears again and she cried, "I can't. I just can't!"

"Why not?" I demanded. Time for flutteriness is over.

A steady tread was suddenly heard passing the library door. "That's him!" she cried happily. "You'll understand after you meet him." I followed her doubtfully outside the room.

"Laaaaantis!" she called. Far ahead I saw a gigantic man swallowing the long corridor with his strides. If I wasn't mistaken, I saw his pace quicken slightly, but Primera and I soon caught up.

"Lantis, I'd like you to meet my sister, Entiara," Primera presented proudly. He appeared accustomed to ignoring her, so she had to repeat this a few times before he took any notice. When he did, I received only a brief nod.

"Highly rude, even for a human," I snorted. "Which begs the question, what are you doing with a human?" I heard my own voice heighten towards what friends had termed the 'piercing annoyance' tone. Primera and I had often been scolded for that as little fairies.

Primera looked hurt and answered in a similar lift, "He's my Lantis! He's perfect! And he can only belong to me!!" She cast a gaze of adoration towards him, which was completely lost on the recipient.

She plopped down on his shoulder, so I plopped down on the other one and continued the argument.

"But you're a fairy, and you're my sister, and I want you to come home with me!" I sputtered. "We could live together and gather baby flower spirits to grow in our garden, plant acorn hearts, chase the lightning bugs—everything!" She turned her face away snootily. I could only see this, however, by peering under Lantis's chin.

I pushed the point. "My den is laid with the nightingales down, and the river spirit has given me a mirror to see the raindrops as they dance. It has everything!" I cried. "Everything, that is, but you," I whispered.

Her shoulders drooped and her hair fell about her face. "You don't understand," she said solemnly, as if to herself. Lifting her face to mine, I saw her sorrowful eyes gaze into mine. She threw her arms around Lantis's neck and said firmly, "Here I have everything."

He bent forward. He had certainly heard all our conversation, but he appeared oblivious to any sentiment. And Primera seemed oblivious to his oblivion.

Then I saw the pain in her eyes. She knew. It didn't matter. She loved. I wept.

I recognized that pain. I hadn't ever let it escape.

"Don't cry," she said tearfully, "Otherwise I'll cry too." Our voiced lifted up together in tears; Lantis's face tightened.

"I understand," I sniffed. "I'm not crying because of that. I'm crying because" I hiccuped "because," my sorrow suddenly drowned in tears.

With eyes much wiser than I had yet seen, Primera looked at me and stated, "The fern nymph." I nodded, and abandoning Lantis's shoulders, we flew into each other's arms.

"I loved him too," I cried. "Did he die in the flames?" she asked directly. I nodded numbly. "Maybe he'll come back," she said hopefully. The thought was at once both exhilarating and agonizing.

"Maybe you'll come back sometime, too, Primera," I said huskily. She smiled at me and we began our good-byes. I said good-bye to Lantis, who treated me with the slightest smile. Then I hugged Primera. We both sobbed and held each other tighter. The lavender-haired man was passing by, and solicitously offered a handkerchief. We dried our eyes then promptly burst into tears. He abandoned the futile effort and continued on his way.

"Come visit," she said.

"You too," I agreed.

My wings carried me quickly, and I didn't look back until the castle was a shadow. The oak welcomed me back with a deep, warm sigh.

~ * ~

I flew over the field today. The forest is returning. I visited with the river spirit, long since seen. More flowers are growing. Their songs are beginning to vibrate beneath the soil. Among the budding leaves and overturned rocks I saw the brown eyes of mischief and dancing smile of the fern nymph. His voice has not yet grown, but his heart is strong. So is mine. I will wait.