(it is a small story with no armors or arago, but it has the troopers-well
mostly shin- and a masho or two of course. I was in a
Fantasy mood my friend Noko was on .
Hope you enjoy.)
1 Mermaid
I.
"Mother!" a young girl called out across the ships deck. The hurricane had captured everyone on board by surprise. The blinding rain and the gusting winds made it unbearable to be up on deck, but she needed to find her mother.
A shadow figure across the boat yelled something that she thought was her name, looking up in desperation she scanned the darkness, finally finding a tall figure with outstretched hands. It was her mother!
The girl felt the wave of water that rushed on the deck hit her legs, leaving the sensation of pain and cold. She ran as fast as she could across the deck, fighting the ships unknowing tilts and sways, all she could do was keep her mother in her vision. Suddenly wet, but warm fabric was against her face and her hands filled with the same material, she could hear a heartbeat against her ear.
They held onto each other in a desperate tangle of limbs as another wave broke across the deck, making the ship lean on its side almost literally. If this keep up she knew hat the ship might capsize. Thinking this she held more desperately to her mother as the icy rain seemed to hit through her cloths to her skin.
Her mother suddenly started to move towards the lower deck entry, she had no choice but to follow, taking her already frozen hand and putting it trustingly in her mothers. The footing was unsteady, making them falter several times, but they never let go.
"Nokomis!"
She looked up at hearing her name again, someone was there in the open doorway waiting for them with a hand outstretch. The winds carried the other words away but she knew, she felt it was Shingo calling out to her, her betrothed. Looking up at her mother who was still leading the way to the door way Nokomis took her free hand and squeezed the midnight pendent around her neck.
The ship not wanting them to reach safety suddenly tossed them relentlessly, making them scramble for hand holds of the deck or other things so they wouldn't be washed overboard.
But then as if the sea itself doomed them, the deathly black sea crashed into the boats side. Nokomis held onto her mother's hand as much as she could, her fingers frozen her body cold and tired. The boat started to tip again, but this time was determined to finish it's death roll into the sea.
"Nokomis!"
"Mother!" was all she could exclaim as a sudden crashing wave swept her away from her mothers grasp and flying across the deck. The air in Nokomis's lungs left her as she suddenly felt nothing under her, but was suddenly shocked as she hit the ending rail and side of the boat. Pain. White-hot, pain coursed through her body, she looked up.
He was there, he had left the doorway to come after her, to save her. She looked up at him with all of her feelings of love and fear.
"Just hold on!" Shingo exclaimed as he tried to pull her back up to the boat. His hair plastered to part of his face from the water, but his piercing blue eyes shot through the night looking at her, begging her to hold on. He sent more through those eyes that night to her then he would ever in the rest of their lives.
The sudden flash of lightening in the sky started to streak the heavens, Nokomis prayed that the gods wouldn't do this to her, how could they!
In another flash of lightning, in place of Shingo's eye's were those of the crystallized water around her, the freezing spikes of pain ran through her as she broke the surface only to be buffeted down again by the waves. She could only hear the anguished cries of the two people she loved most in the world.
Then darkness.
She awoken, wet, cold, and on a piece of long drift wood. The fuzziness in her head was hard to get ride of, her body making her cough up if not bordering on making her sick from the amount of sea water she had swallowed the night before. Why wasn't she drowned?
Her long dress heavied her movements as she tried to look around. Water. Everywhere. She let out a mournful sob with tears before composing herself, forcing herself to try and think of something to do. She brushed back or more pushed back her long velvet black hair, and coughed up more water.
The sound of something scratching the board of oak caught her attention, the pendent her mother had given her was leaving sharp scratches in the wood. She could tell it was from a ship because of the feel of the treated oils still on it some. The pendent mocked her.
Her mother always said it held a great power in which it would enlighten the power with in her, and would protect her.
"Piece of junk," she said in her now course voice. The sea water and screaming from last night had stressed her throat, even attempting to speak was anguish. A sounding splash from a distance caught her attention. She frantically looked around for life, but saw nothing.
Again a splash was heard, but it was getting closer. She remembered tails of fisherman speaking of great sea creatures that could swallow a ship whole, and deadly sharks that could actually smell out humans. But Shingo told her that none of that was true, he wouldn't lie to her!
Splash. Her body was too tired to act scared, her mind to full to grab the concept of the idea. She stiffened and looked around, she would face whatever it was, she was strong. She knew she was strong, her mother had told her how strong she could be.
She froze still, whatever it was, was right behind her, she could feel it. She forced herself to turn around, heart racing breathing unsteady.
It was, a girl.
Her eyes widened as the girl bolted straight down into the water until the only things that were visible was her eyes and the top of her head.
Nokomis didn't know what to do, who was this girl? Was she the one who saved her last night?
The two just looked at each other in the eyes for a long period of time, slowly the girl came up some in the water. Her shoulders broke the surface and she sat there in the water just staring back at the person across from her.
Nokomis study the girl infront of her, she looked about the same age as Nokomis, but her eyes were so much wider than normal eyes and so deep in sapphire color, the tone of her skin more of a opal shade than that of a pale white.
Nokomis slowly raised a hand, the girl almost leapt out of the water ten feet back in fear.
"I won't hurt you," Nokomis smiled.
Her response was a confused look back as the girl slowly circled around her once as if she never seen a human before.
"Who are you? Did you help me? Do you know how I can get help?" Nokomis kept asking the questions she so direly wanted answers too, but none were given. More confused looks and head tilts was all she got.
Nokomis sighed in frustration seeing that whoever she was wasn't going to help her. Nokomis went back drifting on the board, mind racing on how to communicate with girl. Why doesn't she understand me?
Nokomis fingered the black pendent out of habit more than for purpose, she half closed her eyes, her body still heavy and tired with water and sleep.
It glowed.
Nokomis almost blinked dumbly at the pendent as it started to glow, she had seen it do this before, but usually a muted red and only in her medial sorcery practice that her mother help her with; but now it was glowing a soft emerald green, but then blue.
Nokomis looked up but the girl was already closer to her than before, seemingly entranced with the pendent. Power within, Nokomis parroted to herself.
She slowly took off the pendent, which was a chore in itself trying to use the board to remain afloat and make her body respond to her wishes. Her darkly tanned skin now draped in the ebony dress seemed slightly faded because of the water, her long agile fingers reached out the pendent slowly to the girl.
The girl blinked at her mutely then slowly raised a hand out of the water, which didn't seem to stick to her skin but flowed off smoothly, the small fingers came down cautiously and fearfully on the top of the pendent. As if to make sure that it wouldn't hurt her did she start making fluid movements with her hand over the pendent.
Please let this work.
Nokomis closed her eyes and brought up everything she was ever taught and the pendent glowed again with the girl's touch. Make her understand me.
The pendent shimmered in the brack water until it beamed a immaculate white. She did have the power in her.
"Who are you?" Nokomis asked again.
Just another dumb look back.
Or maybe she was delusional from the salt water. ~Who are you?~ she thought at the girl desperately.
She blinked launching herself back again and tilted her head to the side looking at the weird being in the water. Her scales were a funny color but what was stranger was how dark she looked. Did she just here it in her mind?
~Who are you?~ she thought back.
The creature suddenly smiled and looked like a fresh crest of a turning wave came over her. She found this creature in the middle of the storm of the night fall, a small calling came to her. Her skin looked like a dark mixture of waters, her eyes deep and dark with small rays of light.
~You can understand me?!~
~How do you talk with no voice?~
~The same way you are my friend, what is your name?~
~Name?~ she blinked at the creature in confusion, she didnt' understand, Name.
~Mine is Nokomis~
Nokomis had done it, she had use her own powers to make her understand, her mother would be proud. Now she could get back to Shingo, she could ask this girl to help. Nokomis told her, her name again pointing to herself. She saw a small smile come across the girl's face then she suddenly disappeared.
"No! Wait!" Nokomis shouted as loud as she could, that was not the response she wanted, but it what she saw wasn't what she expected either.
When the girl turned away in her wake there was not legs that pushed her away, but a tail! The scales were of deep midnight blue, and the hair that she thought was black earlier was of the same color. It was also obvious the story of mermaids wearing sea shells to cover themselves was at that, a story since she wore nothing at all.
Mermaids?! But they were just more talk! Weren't they?
It was a heartbeat later when the girl reappeared and in her hands was a beautiful underwater lily, blue with water crested petals. Nokomis smiled in understanding, she didn't have such things as a Proper Name for beings in her world, she only knew things by what they were.
~Name~ she held up the lily proudly and smiled at Nokomis.
Nokomis tried not to laugh and shook her head ~No that is a lily.. I will call you yuri~
The girl blinked and tilted her head again ~what is yuri?~
~It is the name I will call you by~
The girl smiled at her as if she been given a small gift.
[pic]*
***22yrs later***
"Your majesty I do not tell you these things to make you mad, but to remind you," Seiji was more than tired of his job lately. It entailed one thing, keep reminding the queen that her son must be married with in the month. Seiji hated this job, he held his status as advisor in high respect but the prince was his friend, and the queen was loosing patience.
"I perfectly know what must happen Seiji," Nokomis snapped, "You do not need to remind me."
"But if he does not choose a bride by his twenty-first birthday," Seiji rebuked, trying to keep the pace of the queen's walk. He unsuccessfully tried to will hair covering his right eye to be neatly tucked behind his ear, but as always the large blonde strand would fall back into place, adorning the very pale complexion and the violet eyes.
"I will have to choose a bride for him, yes I know," Nokomis sighed in both aggravation and sorrow. She hated knowing she must force this upon her son though he did not want to marry.
"I am afraid you highness. Without his father's guidance these years of past he may not be ready for the pressure soon bestowed on him," Seiji sighed.
Nokomis stopped and was about to disagree with him head on, before a cold realization hit her. Shingo had been died when Shin was only a infant, it seemed like a lifetime ago, she was left with a kingdom at war and a child to raise by herself. She saved the kingdom and raised the child without hardly any help, she was proud of her accomplishments, but nothing can replace a father's love and guidance to a son.
"I know Seiji, but Shin does not want to marry," she sighed as she slowly took a seat at her thrown, "I will respect his wishes."
"Yes, your highness," Seiji said with a light sigh.
Nokomis brought up a lightly jeweled hand to meet her chin in thought, she couldn't help but think how much has changed in so long. The years that had passed only sharpened her beauty. Her dark skinned of light tan had turned into a deep tan which kissed her whole body. The long midnight hair hanged low around her knees, only thing keeping it from disturbing her view was the poignant and lightly jeweled crown. The forward tip of the golden crown sloped forward into a point which rested in middle of her forehead, the large beautiful eyes held more light than darkness, more power than others really knew.
"I fear that since the previous King was not able to guide him in such
duties that it will be hard for him to adjust," Seiji stated solemnly.
"You are right..but still..its his life," Nokomis stated, getting somewhat irritated with the his constant reminding her of Shingo. She wouldn't morn anymore, she couldn't afford to, there was a kingdom to be run, and her life that must be lived. Part of her would always miss him though.
"Mother....lord rajura and lord naaza are here to see you.." a young man's voice called upon entering the room.
Nokomis smiled as she stood up from the throne, "Welcome." She watched as her son first came forward and made to make the first words between the group.
"I can handle my own life Thankyou," Shin snarled at Seiji before leaving abruptly. He had been listening to the conversation from outside the door and wasn't happy, most noticeably so. Nokomis only could watch her son storm out, understanding.
"I have not seen you two as much in these days," Nokomis said sweetly as the Lord Rajura and Nazza bowed and kissed her hand.
"We have been busy," Rajura said giving a half smile through his white hair.
"Besides, it looks like you're having troubles of your own," Nazza smiled turning his green hair head to smirk at Seiji. Seiji only gave a short growl towards the other men and excused himself before leaving.
Nokomis laughed some, "Yes, we do, Shin does not wish to marry."
"This as much I have picked up," Rajura stated.
"Yes, but now what brings you two to my lands?" Nokomis asked.
"Why not only to pay much deserved tribute to you your highness, but to personally invite you to a small ball at my lands," Rajura said diplomatically.
"A ball?" Nokomis more stated then asked, a thin curl in her smile, "A masquerade ball at that no doubt."
"The Queen doth knows me to well," Rajura answered, "I would be honored if you would come join us.
"Hmm.. that means I'd have to find someone to accompany me," Noko smirked knowingly.
"I was hoping you would come, as more of a personal guest of mine," Rajura said kissing her hand again.
A small chuckle escaped Nazza, he was the only one who knew of what was going on between Rajura and the Queen, and sometimes it made him queasy to say the least, "Yes, but your court is also invited," he smirked.
"Your personal guest, I'd like that," she lightly cooed.
"I would greatly enjoy your company."
At this Nazza had to let out a small groan as he rolled his eyes.
Nokomis smiled and blushed, "I would enjoy yours too milord."
"All I ask now of you is food and board until next light," Rajura turning back into a diplomat. Nokomis smiled.
"Yes that would be fine let me show you to your rooms," she said already walking away.
The corridors were opened allowing a sweet smell of honeycomb of the season to fill each crevice, the windows open to allow the gentle breeze to be felt. She showed Lord Nazza to his room first.
"I thankyou your majesty but I will first depart for your kitchen, we were more than hurried here, unexpectedly," he said looking at Rajura before leaving.
"Unexpectedly lord?" Nokomis asked leading Rajura to his room and entering it.
"He, over exaggerates at times," he said clearing his throat and closing the door, "I thankyou for the room your majesty."
"Anytime Rajura," she placed a light kiss on his cheek.
"Thankyou Noko," he said before cautiously cupping her cheek to kiss her lips, the penalty of the land to be caught doing such a act without her announcing him as a respectable suitor, would be death, he did not care. Nokomis kissed him back, it had been so long since she was kissed like this.
"Dinner will be at five," she said.
"Yes I will sure to attend, but what shall I do till then?"
Nokomis blushed, "Lord..."
"Yes your highness?" he smiled knowingly.
"What did you have in mind then milord?"
"Anything that would please the lady," he said teasing her wrist with a small kiss.
"I am pleased by being with you my lord," tucking a piece of hair back Nokomis smiled with all sincerity.
"Then you have thought of my proposal?" Rajura asked hopefully. Nokomis looked at him, thinking. She had thought about it, what it would mean, to be married again. Her eyes met his one good eye, the other draped in a small leather eyepatch. Almost over twenty years she has been alone, with no one close to confide in about her heart, and she finally found someone she trusted, truly trusted with her heart, even after all this time. But it wasn't' that she worried about, it was Shin and how he would take it, but he never seemed to object to her finding another suitor.
"Yes I have lord," she nodded.
"And..."
"I think you will have a announcement to make at your ball," She smiled then kissed him.
Fantasy mood my friend Noko was on .
Hope you enjoy.)
1 Mermaid
I.
"Mother!" a young girl called out across the ships deck. The hurricane had captured everyone on board by surprise. The blinding rain and the gusting winds made it unbearable to be up on deck, but she needed to find her mother.
A shadow figure across the boat yelled something that she thought was her name, looking up in desperation she scanned the darkness, finally finding a tall figure with outstretched hands. It was her mother!
The girl felt the wave of water that rushed on the deck hit her legs, leaving the sensation of pain and cold. She ran as fast as she could across the deck, fighting the ships unknowing tilts and sways, all she could do was keep her mother in her vision. Suddenly wet, but warm fabric was against her face and her hands filled with the same material, she could hear a heartbeat against her ear.
They held onto each other in a desperate tangle of limbs as another wave broke across the deck, making the ship lean on its side almost literally. If this keep up she knew hat the ship might capsize. Thinking this she held more desperately to her mother as the icy rain seemed to hit through her cloths to her skin.
Her mother suddenly started to move towards the lower deck entry, she had no choice but to follow, taking her already frozen hand and putting it trustingly in her mothers. The footing was unsteady, making them falter several times, but they never let go.
"Nokomis!"
She looked up at hearing her name again, someone was there in the open doorway waiting for them with a hand outstretch. The winds carried the other words away but she knew, she felt it was Shingo calling out to her, her betrothed. Looking up at her mother who was still leading the way to the door way Nokomis took her free hand and squeezed the midnight pendent around her neck.
The ship not wanting them to reach safety suddenly tossed them relentlessly, making them scramble for hand holds of the deck or other things so they wouldn't be washed overboard.
But then as if the sea itself doomed them, the deathly black sea crashed into the boats side. Nokomis held onto her mother's hand as much as she could, her fingers frozen her body cold and tired. The boat started to tip again, but this time was determined to finish it's death roll into the sea.
"Nokomis!"
"Mother!" was all she could exclaim as a sudden crashing wave swept her away from her mothers grasp and flying across the deck. The air in Nokomis's lungs left her as she suddenly felt nothing under her, but was suddenly shocked as she hit the ending rail and side of the boat. Pain. White-hot, pain coursed through her body, she looked up.
He was there, he had left the doorway to come after her, to save her. She looked up at him with all of her feelings of love and fear.
"Just hold on!" Shingo exclaimed as he tried to pull her back up to the boat. His hair plastered to part of his face from the water, but his piercing blue eyes shot through the night looking at her, begging her to hold on. He sent more through those eyes that night to her then he would ever in the rest of their lives.
The sudden flash of lightening in the sky started to streak the heavens, Nokomis prayed that the gods wouldn't do this to her, how could they!
In another flash of lightning, in place of Shingo's eye's were those of the crystallized water around her, the freezing spikes of pain ran through her as she broke the surface only to be buffeted down again by the waves. She could only hear the anguished cries of the two people she loved most in the world.
Then darkness.
She awoken, wet, cold, and on a piece of long drift wood. The fuzziness in her head was hard to get ride of, her body making her cough up if not bordering on making her sick from the amount of sea water she had swallowed the night before. Why wasn't she drowned?
Her long dress heavied her movements as she tried to look around. Water. Everywhere. She let out a mournful sob with tears before composing herself, forcing herself to try and think of something to do. She brushed back or more pushed back her long velvet black hair, and coughed up more water.
The sound of something scratching the board of oak caught her attention, the pendent her mother had given her was leaving sharp scratches in the wood. She could tell it was from a ship because of the feel of the treated oils still on it some. The pendent mocked her.
Her mother always said it held a great power in which it would enlighten the power with in her, and would protect her.
"Piece of junk," she said in her now course voice. The sea water and screaming from last night had stressed her throat, even attempting to speak was anguish. A sounding splash from a distance caught her attention. She frantically looked around for life, but saw nothing.
Again a splash was heard, but it was getting closer. She remembered tails of fisherman speaking of great sea creatures that could swallow a ship whole, and deadly sharks that could actually smell out humans. But Shingo told her that none of that was true, he wouldn't lie to her!
Splash. Her body was too tired to act scared, her mind to full to grab the concept of the idea. She stiffened and looked around, she would face whatever it was, she was strong. She knew she was strong, her mother had told her how strong she could be.
She froze still, whatever it was, was right behind her, she could feel it. She forced herself to turn around, heart racing breathing unsteady.
It was, a girl.
Her eyes widened as the girl bolted straight down into the water until the only things that were visible was her eyes and the top of her head.
Nokomis didn't know what to do, who was this girl? Was she the one who saved her last night?
The two just looked at each other in the eyes for a long period of time, slowly the girl came up some in the water. Her shoulders broke the surface and she sat there in the water just staring back at the person across from her.
Nokomis study the girl infront of her, she looked about the same age as Nokomis, but her eyes were so much wider than normal eyes and so deep in sapphire color, the tone of her skin more of a opal shade than that of a pale white.
Nokomis slowly raised a hand, the girl almost leapt out of the water ten feet back in fear.
"I won't hurt you," Nokomis smiled.
Her response was a confused look back as the girl slowly circled around her once as if she never seen a human before.
"Who are you? Did you help me? Do you know how I can get help?" Nokomis kept asking the questions she so direly wanted answers too, but none were given. More confused looks and head tilts was all she got.
Nokomis sighed in frustration seeing that whoever she was wasn't going to help her. Nokomis went back drifting on the board, mind racing on how to communicate with girl. Why doesn't she understand me?
Nokomis fingered the black pendent out of habit more than for purpose, she half closed her eyes, her body still heavy and tired with water and sleep.
It glowed.
Nokomis almost blinked dumbly at the pendent as it started to glow, she had seen it do this before, but usually a muted red and only in her medial sorcery practice that her mother help her with; but now it was glowing a soft emerald green, but then blue.
Nokomis looked up but the girl was already closer to her than before, seemingly entranced with the pendent. Power within, Nokomis parroted to herself.
She slowly took off the pendent, which was a chore in itself trying to use the board to remain afloat and make her body respond to her wishes. Her darkly tanned skin now draped in the ebony dress seemed slightly faded because of the water, her long agile fingers reached out the pendent slowly to the girl.
The girl blinked at her mutely then slowly raised a hand out of the water, which didn't seem to stick to her skin but flowed off smoothly, the small fingers came down cautiously and fearfully on the top of the pendent. As if to make sure that it wouldn't hurt her did she start making fluid movements with her hand over the pendent.
Please let this work.
Nokomis closed her eyes and brought up everything she was ever taught and the pendent glowed again with the girl's touch. Make her understand me.
The pendent shimmered in the brack water until it beamed a immaculate white. She did have the power in her.
"Who are you?" Nokomis asked again.
Just another dumb look back.
Or maybe she was delusional from the salt water. ~Who are you?~ she thought at the girl desperately.
She blinked launching herself back again and tilted her head to the side looking at the weird being in the water. Her scales were a funny color but what was stranger was how dark she looked. Did she just here it in her mind?
~Who are you?~ she thought back.
The creature suddenly smiled and looked like a fresh crest of a turning wave came over her. She found this creature in the middle of the storm of the night fall, a small calling came to her. Her skin looked like a dark mixture of waters, her eyes deep and dark with small rays of light.
~You can understand me?!~
~How do you talk with no voice?~
~The same way you are my friend, what is your name?~
~Name?~ she blinked at the creature in confusion, she didnt' understand, Name.
~Mine is Nokomis~
Nokomis had done it, she had use her own powers to make her understand, her mother would be proud. Now she could get back to Shingo, she could ask this girl to help. Nokomis told her, her name again pointing to herself. She saw a small smile come across the girl's face then she suddenly disappeared.
"No! Wait!" Nokomis shouted as loud as she could, that was not the response she wanted, but it what she saw wasn't what she expected either.
When the girl turned away in her wake there was not legs that pushed her away, but a tail! The scales were of deep midnight blue, and the hair that she thought was black earlier was of the same color. It was also obvious the story of mermaids wearing sea shells to cover themselves was at that, a story since she wore nothing at all.
Mermaids?! But they were just more talk! Weren't they?
It was a heartbeat later when the girl reappeared and in her hands was a beautiful underwater lily, blue with water crested petals. Nokomis smiled in understanding, she didn't have such things as a Proper Name for beings in her world, she only knew things by what they were.
~Name~ she held up the lily proudly and smiled at Nokomis.
Nokomis tried not to laugh and shook her head ~No that is a lily.. I will call you yuri~
The girl blinked and tilted her head again ~what is yuri?~
~It is the name I will call you by~
The girl smiled at her as if she been given a small gift.
[pic]*
***22yrs later***
"Your majesty I do not tell you these things to make you mad, but to remind you," Seiji was more than tired of his job lately. It entailed one thing, keep reminding the queen that her son must be married with in the month. Seiji hated this job, he held his status as advisor in high respect but the prince was his friend, and the queen was loosing patience.
"I perfectly know what must happen Seiji," Nokomis snapped, "You do not need to remind me."
"But if he does not choose a bride by his twenty-first birthday," Seiji rebuked, trying to keep the pace of the queen's walk. He unsuccessfully tried to will hair covering his right eye to be neatly tucked behind his ear, but as always the large blonde strand would fall back into place, adorning the very pale complexion and the violet eyes.
"I will have to choose a bride for him, yes I know," Nokomis sighed in both aggravation and sorrow. She hated knowing she must force this upon her son though he did not want to marry.
"I am afraid you highness. Without his father's guidance these years of past he may not be ready for the pressure soon bestowed on him," Seiji sighed.
Nokomis stopped and was about to disagree with him head on, before a cold realization hit her. Shingo had been died when Shin was only a infant, it seemed like a lifetime ago, she was left with a kingdom at war and a child to raise by herself. She saved the kingdom and raised the child without hardly any help, she was proud of her accomplishments, but nothing can replace a father's love and guidance to a son.
"I know Seiji, but Shin does not want to marry," she sighed as she slowly took a seat at her thrown, "I will respect his wishes."
"Yes, your highness," Seiji said with a light sigh.
Nokomis brought up a lightly jeweled hand to meet her chin in thought, she couldn't help but think how much has changed in so long. The years that had passed only sharpened her beauty. Her dark skinned of light tan had turned into a deep tan which kissed her whole body. The long midnight hair hanged low around her knees, only thing keeping it from disturbing her view was the poignant and lightly jeweled crown. The forward tip of the golden crown sloped forward into a point which rested in middle of her forehead, the large beautiful eyes held more light than darkness, more power than others really knew.
"I fear that since the previous King was not able to guide him in such
duties that it will be hard for him to adjust," Seiji stated solemnly.
"You are right..but still..its his life," Nokomis stated, getting somewhat irritated with the his constant reminding her of Shingo. She wouldn't morn anymore, she couldn't afford to, there was a kingdom to be run, and her life that must be lived. Part of her would always miss him though.
"Mother....lord rajura and lord naaza are here to see you.." a young man's voice called upon entering the room.
Nokomis smiled as she stood up from the throne, "Welcome." She watched as her son first came forward and made to make the first words between the group.
"I can handle my own life Thankyou," Shin snarled at Seiji before leaving abruptly. He had been listening to the conversation from outside the door and wasn't happy, most noticeably so. Nokomis only could watch her son storm out, understanding.
"I have not seen you two as much in these days," Nokomis said sweetly as the Lord Rajura and Nazza bowed and kissed her hand.
"We have been busy," Rajura said giving a half smile through his white hair.
"Besides, it looks like you're having troubles of your own," Nazza smiled turning his green hair head to smirk at Seiji. Seiji only gave a short growl towards the other men and excused himself before leaving.
Nokomis laughed some, "Yes, we do, Shin does not wish to marry."
"This as much I have picked up," Rajura stated.
"Yes, but now what brings you two to my lands?" Nokomis asked.
"Why not only to pay much deserved tribute to you your highness, but to personally invite you to a small ball at my lands," Rajura said diplomatically.
"A ball?" Nokomis more stated then asked, a thin curl in her smile, "A masquerade ball at that no doubt."
"The Queen doth knows me to well," Rajura answered, "I would be honored if you would come join us.
"Hmm.. that means I'd have to find someone to accompany me," Noko smirked knowingly.
"I was hoping you would come, as more of a personal guest of mine," Rajura said kissing her hand again.
A small chuckle escaped Nazza, he was the only one who knew of what was going on between Rajura and the Queen, and sometimes it made him queasy to say the least, "Yes, but your court is also invited," he smirked.
"Your personal guest, I'd like that," she lightly cooed.
"I would greatly enjoy your company."
At this Nazza had to let out a small groan as he rolled his eyes.
Nokomis smiled and blushed, "I would enjoy yours too milord."
"All I ask now of you is food and board until next light," Rajura turning back into a diplomat. Nokomis smiled.
"Yes that would be fine let me show you to your rooms," she said already walking away.
The corridors were opened allowing a sweet smell of honeycomb of the season to fill each crevice, the windows open to allow the gentle breeze to be felt. She showed Lord Nazza to his room first.
"I thankyou your majesty but I will first depart for your kitchen, we were more than hurried here, unexpectedly," he said looking at Rajura before leaving.
"Unexpectedly lord?" Nokomis asked leading Rajura to his room and entering it.
"He, over exaggerates at times," he said clearing his throat and closing the door, "I thankyou for the room your majesty."
"Anytime Rajura," she placed a light kiss on his cheek.
"Thankyou Noko," he said before cautiously cupping her cheek to kiss her lips, the penalty of the land to be caught doing such a act without her announcing him as a respectable suitor, would be death, he did not care. Nokomis kissed him back, it had been so long since she was kissed like this.
"Dinner will be at five," she said.
"Yes I will sure to attend, but what shall I do till then?"
Nokomis blushed, "Lord..."
"Yes your highness?" he smiled knowingly.
"What did you have in mind then milord?"
"Anything that would please the lady," he said teasing her wrist with a small kiss.
"I am pleased by being with you my lord," tucking a piece of hair back Nokomis smiled with all sincerity.
"Then you have thought of my proposal?" Rajura asked hopefully. Nokomis looked at him, thinking. She had thought about it, what it would mean, to be married again. Her eyes met his one good eye, the other draped in a small leather eyepatch. Almost over twenty years she has been alone, with no one close to confide in about her heart, and she finally found someone she trusted, truly trusted with her heart, even after all this time. But it wasn't' that she worried about, it was Shin and how he would take it, but he never seemed to object to her finding another suitor.
"Yes I have lord," she nodded.
"And..."
"I think you will have a announcement to make at your ball," She smiled then kissed him.
