This is an idea I've had kicking around for a while, finally got a burst of inspiration to go and write it up. Not a huge fandom or collection in this section, I know. But hey, I watch a lot of different anime. And the ones that appeal to me are kind of random. (For example, I love Fairy Tail, Naruto and Bleach, but I hate One Piece. Dunno why, just kinda ended up like that. I like Vampire Knight, but the other vampire anime and manga just don't...inspire me. So like I said, random.)

Here's the start of a little something. And I sure hope you've watched the anime first because 'spoilers'. Because this is meant to sort of...kinda...by the end, make up a backstory about Ophelia by introducing a new character. Because frankly, I feel like Ophelia just popped up out of nowhere with no explanation.

Enjoy.


Ten years old. That's how old I was when I left the warmth and safety of my brother's castle, left the comfort of the family I've always known.

But I had no choice. I couldn't stay, not in a place like that, a glorified prison.

It was that day...that my destiny changed forever.


Kaea's P.O.V.

I've been told since I was a child that I was destined for great things. Hailed as one who would bring peace and prosperity wherever I went. Deified by everyone around me, called glorious, sacred, divine. But isolated all the same. Looking up to, instead of at me. And it always made me feel so alone.

Instead of a typical education for young noblewomen, my time was greatly divided. I would be taught language, philosophy, and the arts, to be sure. But on occasion, I was taught to awaken my powers on command. Powers accorded to me at birth by the Fates. To draw on the life and light that would protect me, and allow me to fulfill my duty, my ultimate destiny. A destiny that I was never truly to comprehend, despite the plethora of explanations by scholars and teachers.

Now trained, I am to await the day when it will be my turn to take on the role of Keeper, thought to be a living embodiment of a nature goddess, they who give life, a role that I was born with the power to fulfill. Called a Hesperide, a goddess of the sunset, the golden light of the evening sky. With a destiny to use my power to bring life and light and happiness to others. All at the cost of my own. A fact that I am quite clear on, and the one that I resent the most.

None of my siblings ever objected to my taking on that role, despite my own obvious protests. They all knew, since the day I was born, that nothing they said or did would be able to change anything. No matter how much they may have wanted it. So, they've taught me all that I need to know, and let me have as much freedom as I wish, though within reason, and always under watchful eyes. Because when the day comes for me to fulfill my duty, I will never have another opportunity to do anything.

So I've stayed up late every night, unable to sleep through my anxiety. And when I sleep, I sleep fitfully, dreading the day that I would hear the call of the trees, the mysterious call that comes when a Keeper is ready to serve their purpose. And with every year that passed, the likelihood of it happening increased. Some Keepers have been chosen as young as the age of six, but some as old as thirty.


Two months after my tenth birthday, I make my ultimate decision. I am not going to sit and wait for the call to come, I will take matters into my own hands. I write a letter to my brother, the king. And I hope desperately that he will understand that this is what I have to do.

Dearest Brother,

The past ten years, you have cared for me in our parents' stead, giving me any happiness that I desired. But I cannot stay any longer. I know what I am, and what I am meant to do. Our Keeper is strong and young and healthy, giving me no place here. My place is somewhere far away, with one of the many trees beyond our land. You know this very well.

I leave, knowing that when the time comes for me to answer the call, I will find my own way. I have grown restless and anxious as I await the summons. And I cannot wait in fear any longer, in fear of being spirited away by my own power. I will find my destiny alone, and pray that I survive long enough to become a worthy Keeper.

Know that I am alive, but treat me as though dead. For I will never return here. And neither should you seek me out. My fate is in the hands of the gods.

My love to you, to all of you,

Kaea

After writing the letter, I leave it on my pillow. I stare into the mirror set into the vanity in the corner of my room, at my long, scarlet hair. If I am to escape from here, I must not be seen…I must no longer be who I am.

I open the uppermost drawer of the vanity, removing the sewing shears. My fingers tremble a little, but only for a moment, before I take the shears and press the silver blades to my hair. Piece by piece, the scarlet locks fall through my fingers, pooling like blood on the surface of the vanity. Vanity is something I'll have no need for now, and my hair is something I will sacrifice to accomplish what I am meant to do.

As the last of my hair slips through my fingers, I look one last time into the mirror, satisfied. I've left my bangs long, hiding my left eye. Now no one will suspect my identity. For all they will know, I am a boy. A runaway. I gather up my hair, tie it together with a silk ribbon, and leave it on the pillow next to my letter. Perhaps now he will know that I am serious…

Walking to to other side of my bedroom, I sneak out through my window, with its wonderful view of the ocean. I look back only once, feeling a pang in my heart for the family that I will never see again. And I drop down from the windowsill, knowing full well that I'll never return here again. And in preparation for that, I've taken everything of value that I own. Gold, jewels, money, a few small weapons, everything I'll need to make my escape.

Running through the grass outside the castle grounds, I keep well out of sight of the guards that patrol the walls and surrounding area. If they find me, they'll take me back to the castle, and I won't have the chance to leave again. This is just something that I have to do, and the king is going to have to accept that.


I successfully sneak away from the castle, and make my way into the city. Once there, I find my way to the docks. The ships in the port travel between many different lands. And I'm certain that I can find a ship here that will take me away, to a place where I can find what I'm looking for.

The docks are difficult to navigate, and I hardly expect to find many captains setting sail at this hour. It's the middle of the night, and very few captains have the confidence and expertise to navigate out of this harbor at night. However, some do, and it is one of those few, courageous captains that I seek.

Luckily for me, there does seem to be some movement around one of the boats. So I approach the boat and look up onto the deck, where there are sailors shuffling around. My left eye remains obscured by my hair, as it would give me away in an instant. I have very distinctive eyes, enough that anyone who saw both, would know who I am, even if I appear to be a boy running away. At least, such it is within the city. Once gone, I will be safe. And this is my chance to be gone from here.

I wait quietly, until one of them pokes his head over the side of the ship and sees me. "Ho! Captain! We have ourselves a watcher!"

After a moment, a man in fine clothes approaches the edge of the ship, and he regards me with a stern eye. "We have no need for deckhands be on your way."

I look up at him, equally stern, and more determined than he can imagine. And I lower the pitch of my voice, concealing my gender from him as best I can. All I can do is hope that he will believe me to be very young, rather than female. "I am not looking for work. I am looking for passage to another port, one where I might acquire a mount to take me to the floating islands."

That gets his attention, but he still appears rather cross. "That may be, but we do not give passage to runaways."

"Even if this runaway can pay you a handsome fee?" I hold up a bag of coins and shake it, letting him clearly hear the sounds of jingling coins. "I can make it worth your while, and the gold is my own. I imagine that it is not so far to a port that will suffice. Surely you can offer passage to me..."

He looks at the bag, then sighs. "Very well. I won't inquire as to why a youngling would be making an escape from here. Come along. You should find whatever you need at our next stop."

I nod gratefully. "Thank you, sir. Your assistance is much appreciated." I walk to the gangplank, crossing carefully onto the deck of the ship. "Here, your payment." I drop the bag of coins into his hand without a second's hesitation. "I believe that it should more than suffice."

He looks inside the bag, eyes growing wide at the amount. "It certainly does..." He looks me over carefully, scrutinizing me, quite obviously suspicious of how a young child like myself obtained this amount of gold. "Down the stairs to the cabins, second door on the right, that room should be unoccupied."

"My thanks to you..." I turn to the cabin door and find it open. I step carefully down the stairs, and into the long, narrow corridor that extends to the stern of the ship. And like he said, the second door on the right contains a seemingly unused bedroom, perfect for me to stay over the duration of this voyage.

I place my bag on the chair and shed some of my traveling clothes. Underneath, I wear my practice clothes, the clothes I find easiest to move in. Despite my brother's initial hesitance, he quickly accepted that I not only took an interest in swordplay, but excelled at it as well. So he allowed me to have these clothes made for my practice time. They're rather boyish, but that will serve me well for this journey. I can hardly go carting around a wardrobe full of dresses. So for now, this will have to do until I can procure other clothes.

I lie on the bed, thinking hard on what I've done, stealing away into the night to escape this place. My brother will surely be angry with me for what I've done, but I've no choice. If I'm to find my own destiny, my own way, then I must forge that path myself.

This is the first step of my long journey. A destiny written in the stars.

The Fates are cruel.