Note: This is my prequel thingy to Flame of the Guardian's Soul. So yeah...enjoy!
Summery: It's the last few days on earth that Miyu and Larva will spend together.
Chapter One
Beltane
Miyu sat atop the torri gate that over looked the city with a smile on her face. She could feel a good energy emerging from this city, there where no shinma here. Finally she could stay in one place for a while without the threat of the shinma. She was so sick of the constant fighting that the Shinma had brought upon her.
Larva appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her gently, "It will snow soon, Miyu. Perhaps we should go inside so we don't get wet?"
Miyu smiled even more at how gently Larva always was to her, "Yes, we should." She stood up and looked at him. Somehow he seemed different. But she couldn't tell how or what it was, she didn't want to ask because he didn't seem troubled therefore it wasn't her business. She and Larva walked back to their little cabin they had chosen to live in that was on the opposite side of town.
As they walked the snow began to fall ever so lightly around them. Miyu looked up and watched the snowfall from the gray clouds above. It was cold against her face, yet it felt light the snow wanted to tickle her. She glanced over at Larva; he was holding a hand out slightly as if he could catch the snow like it was tiny feathers falling from heaven.
When they got to the cabin, Miyu was surprised to see that Shiina had fallen asleep on the old rocking chair. That rabbit is so cute when it sleeps, she thought. Smiling, she looked up to Larva and put her finger to her lips. He nodded in understanding and they quietly slipped past Shiina and into what used to be a kitchen.
"Oh, snow is seeking in threw the roof," Miyu whispered as she walked to the counter beside the old rusty sink, carefully picked up some buckets, she and Larva had found the night before. Larva took a few of the buckets from her and together they went threw the cabin and laid the buckets in every place where the water from the snow. Soon old buckets consumed the hallway. Miyu looked around the room Larva had chosen to stay in while they took up residents at this cabin, "It looks like we're stuck in your room until the storm ends Larva."
Larva smiled for a moment and nodded gently, "It would seem so," he gazed at her with contentment. Miyu felt something about him had changed that night, for the good surly but it was odd. Then she remembered something, he acted like this once every year, it was always on the first of May.
"Larva," she began, "Is it just my imagination or do you always act a bit odd on the first of May?" By the look on his face she could see she had caught him off-guard.
It took him a few minutes to answer, "It's not just you, Miyu. It's something that happens to most Western Shinma. It goes back to ancient times when most Shinma where considered witches or sorcerers by the humans. It's a fertility festival called Beltane," he paused.
Miyu looked at him, she could tell he didn't know if she was ready to hear something like this or not, "Beltane?" She started, "What can you tell me about that?"
Again he paused, but she could tell it was uncomfortable, yet he said, "It is derived from a Pagan celebration. It's when a man and a woman will go have a..." another pause, "a sexual intercourse and do so in the image of a God and Goddess for that one night. The cause is that the God impregnates the Goddess and thus she gives birth to the new God come summer time."
Now Miyu did feel uncomfortable, "And...have you participated in such a ceremony?" She asked carefully.
Larva said nothing.
Miyu sighed gently, "I do not ask to be noise Larva," she said at last breaking the silence. "I asked because you seem to know quite a bit about this Pagan Celebration, Beltane," when he still did not speak she again spoke, "If I over stepped a boundary Larva, then please tell me."
"You didn't over step anything Miyu," He said at last. "I just don't know how you would take all of this."
"I don't know either," She replied. "But curiosity still gets the better of me sometimes."
He nodded, "I understand." Larva walked over and stood before Miyu, "I never participated in the celebration of Beltane. Though I was tempted more than once."
Thank the gods, Miyu thought. "If you've been to the celebration, could you tell me hat it's like?"
I do not think you need to know, Larva thought. He wasn't sure if Miyu really needed all this information on a celebration that had nothing to do with her people. But he too had been curious about Beltane as a child, "It's very interesting...people dress up in old fashion cloths like what you would see the Druids or Celts wear. Only with a bit of a twist," he paused, "the women don't wear shirts half the time."
Miyu blinked, "They dance in the nude?"
"In a way yes." Larva answered.
It was then that Shiina hopped onto Larva's head, "It sounds like that must have been on hell of a party!" The little rabbit said.
Larva looked up at Shiina with a hint of annoyance on his face, Miyu on the other hand covered her mouth with a slight giggle.
Larva took Shiina off his head, "Yes I suppose you could say that."
Shiina chuckled, "Sorry I hope I didn't interrupt the story?"
"No Shiina," Larva replied, "You did not. But I do believe it is time for us to sleep."
"Yes." Miyu said, "We are going to visit Yui in the morning, we must be rested for our long journey to her lake."