'Bonds of Destiny'
Michiru contemplated the blank canvas in front of her. She didn't know what she wanted to create, but whatever it was, she hoped inspiration would strike soon.
The clock suddenly rang out, chiming twelve times. She shook her head, realizing she had been staring at the canvas for nearly four hours
With a small sigh, the elegant aqua-haired woman placed her paintbrush in its own compartment before closing the wood-carved chest that held her brushes and her paints. Haruka had bought it for her as a gift...
Michiru stood up, walking towards a window in the room and gently parting the curtains to look at the cloudless blue sky. Below, a tree was swaying, each of its leaves twirling and dancing with the wind. The sight of it brought a smile to her face as she moved away, the curtains falling back into place.
Her eyes closed as memories of the previous morning came back.
It was difficult to conceive that she would do such a thing as drug her own partner...
But Haruka hadn't been her partner in that lifetime. She had been Michiru's slave. That was difficult for Michiru to imagine, let alone believe it had happened.
True, in her dream she had understood the past Haruka's feelings... her desires... even guessing where she had come from, much like the Michiru of today's world. But the thought of owning a person... of owning Haruka, of all people...
It didn't seem to fit. Especially her drugging the one person that she loved... Michiru cast the thought aside, not wanting to become upset again. It was bad enough having to face her love that morning...
It seemed that both of them were effected by these dreams- Haruka had been amazed beyond belief at the discovery of the cherry blossom scent on her clothing, where there had been no cherry blossom scented oils or lotions in the house at the time. But it hit home that these dreams were more than just dreams...
The dreams had been reality. Once, long ago, this had been their lives. With the telling of Setsuna's story, what was just a story had opened a door to their past...
Michiru sighed and fell back onto the bed. Lying on her back, she looked towards the window, watching the sunbeams flickering through the glass on the carpet below.
She closed her eyes and breathed gently... a few moments rest would help clear her mind...
She stared up at the ceiling, a slender arm coming up and shielding her eyes from the faint sunlight that always managed to shine directly into her line of vision.
Michiru sat up, pulling the covers away from her body as she rose from the bed, stretching slightly, greeted by the morning sun. Her thoughts drifted to what happened last night...
The moonlight shone through a part in the curtains, zipping from left to right as if trying to gain someone's attention. The beam of light shone on the face of the only occupant of the room, flashing once before vanishing.
Suddenly a loud noise was heard, as if something had fallen from the skies only to hit the ground hard.
Michiru's eyes had flickered once, and she had closed them when another loud noise was heard, closer and disturbingly real. This time she fully awakened. The windows to the balcony were open, the wind rustling the curtains. Someone was out there!
She had rushed from the bed to the balcony, only to find Haruka standing at the railing, looking down at the street below, the moon shining down and illuminating her skin to an almost marble color. She was so still, Michiru could have sworn she was a statue, carved with care and with perfection in mind.
Cries of astonishment and the shouts of some guards had been heard, but Haruka's expression was passive, almost detached. Michiru walked over and stood beside the tall blonde, watching the activity below.
"Someone fell from the rooftop... The guards think it was an assassin."
Haruka spoke loudly enough for Michiru to hear, watching her closely. The taller woman noticed how the aqua-haired woman's expression changed, from confusion to a look of horror and shock. Within seconds, the shock was repressed and seriousness took it's place.
'She conceals her true emotions as well...' Haruka thought to herself.
"They must have been after the Princess." Michiru stated matter-of-factly.
Haruka's teal eyes registered surprise. "She's nearby?"
"Always," the aqua haired woman answered darkly, her eyes clouded with distant thoughts as she looked towards the distant moon. "There are many who would strike at Neptune and our allies in any shape or form."
"Good thing the assassin was clumsy at this attempt, ne?"
Michiru was torn from her thoughts as she glanced down at the street. The body had been removed, the blooded earth cleaned off, but there was still a faint impression of a human body lying in the dust.
Michiru felt her own body tensing up, stricken by the grisly demise and the possibility of discovery.
"They might have swung down into this room for entry," Haruka continued, still looking at the street but sensing Michiru's sudden tension, "-and if they entered here-"
Dark teal eyes locked with defensive blue eyes.
"-who knows what might have happened."
Michiru was at a loss for words. Taking a breath of the fresh smelling night air, she calmed her sudden tension, turning away from Haruka; her words were spoken calmly, yet they held a current of disbelief.
"I am touched by your concern. But I wonder why you are here by yourself."
Haruka's expression was nonchalant, and it didn't change in the slightest as she replied.
"I heard the noise of someone fighting... I thought you might be in danger, so I came to investigate."
Michiru remembered that Haruka was sleeping in a small room connected with her own. It was entirely plausible that Haruka had been in her room the whole time.
So intent in her thoughts was Michiru that she didn't notice Haruka was looking right at her.
"I got up, walked over to the balcony doors, opened them and went out here..."
Michiru glanced up; she was surprised to see Haruka standing, walking slowly towards her.
"Then you came out…"
Haruka was so close that Michiru could have rested her head against the blonde's chest…Michiru felt an urge to envelope herself in the taller woman's embrace...
Their gazes locked, one of them intent and piercing, the other calm yet beguiling...
The handsome blonde leaned in and whispered into Michiru's ear, words sinuous and winding against the aqua-haired woman's skin.
"You and I started talking..."
Michiru tensed in reflex, a shiver of anticipation and longing running down her back.
"…and here we are together."
A small smile appeared on Haruka's lips as her eyes seemed to change from their aloof coldness to warmth that Michiru hadn't seen before.
To Haruka, seeing Michiru silhouetted in the moonlight, her hair gently caressed by the faint breeze... She was very beautiful... so very, very desirable...
Haruka's eyes closed as she banished away any 'adult' thoughts. She leaned away from the balcony railing, straightened up, and walked back into the room, heading towards the comfort of her bed.
Michiru stood in that place, transfixed by the memory of Haruka's expression. She looked up at the moon, wondering what magic spell had been cast over her this night…
It had been hours since Michiru could get any sleep. Her thoughts kept returning to Haruka's sudden change of attitude and her smile...
The aqua-haired woman shook her thoughts away as she stood up from the bed, neatly rearranging the sheets for tomorrow night.
There was the sound of running water coming from her bathroom... Michiru blinked, confused. No one was supposed to be in there, unless someone had been running a bath.
She walked from her now made bed and glanced into the bathroom.
Haruka was kneeling beside the tub, her fingertips running lightly across the water as the ripples from the faucet made small waves... She poured in some liquid from a bubble bath container and stared as the water became frothy and a few bubbles rose from the water, dancing in a light breeze.
Michiru didn't know if she should just walk in or keep watching, but then Haruka spoke.
"It should be ready... I made sure the water wasn't scalding, just warm enough."
Michiru nodded, not trusting her voice to betray her surprise.
Haruka rose, turning the faucet off and shaking her hand slightly to flick away the stray drops of water into the tub. She turned to face Michiru, but any words she wanted to say faded away. The blood in Haruka's veins suddenly coursed through her system, some of it rushing up to bring a faint blush to her face.
Michiru had shed her bathrobe and was now slipping her undergarments off. Quickly Haruka averted her gaze, her blush deepening to a darker shade.
The aqua-haired princess paused in her undressing, seeing Haruka's averted eyes and blush. Michiru, naturally, couldn't resist the urge to tease her 'slave'.
"Haruka.." she spoke softly, walking forward so that she was within arms' reach of the blonde.
The taller woman's eyebrows twitched, and Michiru had to swallow a giggle. She had a towel in her hand and quickly wrapped it around her waist, her eyes watching Haruka to make sure that taller woman wasn't sneaking a look.
Haruka kept looking away. She wasn't even daring to peek. It was rather cute, actually…
Michiru was smiling, but she put a more forceful edge into her tone, making her words sound like an order.
"Haruka, look at me. Please."
Her eyes closed briefly for a moment, as she silently prayed to whatever entity would take mercy on her, before opening her eyes and turning her head.
Michiru stood there, arms crossed over her breasts, a towel around her waist. Inwardly Haruka sighed with relief.
Michiru's smile became coy. "You know, I don't understand why you're so embarrassed. After all-" she paused, wanting to see Haruka's reaction. "-you only had a towel when I gave you that massage last night."
As bad as Haruka was blushing before, that statement added to her embarrassment.
She was still blushing as Michiru walked past her and slipped off the towel, folding it neatly before sliding into the bathtub. True to Haruka's word, it was just the right temperature. She turned back to face Haruka, who was still in the same position. Apparently the shock had gotten to her.
"Haruka?" Michiru asked a note of worry in her voice. Maybe she had taken her teasing too far...
Haruka turned and faced Michiru, a familiar smirk on her face.
"Nice try, 'Mistress'." She laughed a little bit, the humor fading away. "But, in all honesty," Haruka admitted, walking over to sit down on the floor, resting her arms on the bathtub rim and looking Michiru in the eyes. "Seeing you last night, and this morning... you're lovely." The last word was spoken quietly, almost reverently.
Michiru blushed faintly, a smile on her face. "Arigatou." She turned away and picked up a container carrying some type of scented liquid.
"Could you... wash my hair, please?"
Haruka blinked, confused as to how to respond. But with the beguiling look in Michiru's eyes, she found it hard to say 'no'. Holding back a sigh, she nodded.
"Alright."
Michiru handed the container over to Haruka. Michiru turned away, presenting her back to Haruka, who raised her eyes towards the ceiling.
Someone was enjoying seeing her suffer like this... With a muffled sigh, Haruka set to the task at hand.
She poured a small measure of the liquid into her hands (about a quarter's size) and gently massaged it onto Michiru's scalp. She worked the liquid into a lather, running her fingers in circles, forward and backwards, being sure to get down to the roots of her hair.
In this close proximity with Michiru, there were some things Haruka couldn't help but notice. When Michiru's hair was wet, it became a shade darker, taking the look of a deep ocean wave in the middle of a storm... Michiru's eyes were closed; she looked peaceful sitting there...
Inadvertently, Haruka realized she was staring at Michiru's chest. She averted her gaze, but then glanced back, curiosity overriding her respect of privacy. Fortunately, the foam from the bubble bath had made the water cloudy and murky enough so that not much could be seen...
From what Haruka saw, however, she knew that Michiru was very 'well endowed', but not to the point of extravagance. No... What was the word...?
Elegant.
Michiru had an elegant body. Though that word was used to describe vehicles or musical instruments or other inanimate objects, it meant poise... presence. Someone that quite easily drew attention...
"...ruka, I think my hair is done. Haruka?"
Haruka started out of her thoughts, removing her hands from Michiru's hair. A stray aquamarine strand was wrapped around her fingers, and she looked down at it at the entwined strand of hair. "Oh... okay, Michi..."
"Michi?"
Haruka glanced up, as Michiru turned to face her, her body thankfully hidden by the bathrub rim. With her hair still lathered, Michiru didn't look as intimidating, but a thoughtful look was in her eye.
Haruka thought frantically. What had possessed her to call Michiru 'Michi'?
"I guess I-... What I meant was... "
Michiru smiled, and Haruka cut off the words that had been trying to race out of her mouth.
"I like how that sounds." Michiru's smile became a little mischievous. "Especially when you say it."
A rueful smile came to Haruka's face. Then an idea occurred to her, and the smile widened slightly.
Two could play at this teasing game.
"Oh? I'm not the only one that calls you 'Michi'?"
Michiru's expression was priceless. But she quickly shook her head, looking at Haruka coyly.
"A lady never tells."
Haruka smirked, a low laugh coming from her. Michiru was still watching her and reached absently for the bar of soap. Customary as soap is, it slipped out of her hand and into the murky water.
"Ah..."
"Wait, let me get that..."
Haruka had seen the soap slip away from Michiru and she reached into the water to try and grab the slippery bar. This, however, moved her position so that she was inches away from Michiru's lips. The blonde stood still, her hand frozen where it was... Maybe if she kept staring at the tile, she could move away... A whisper sent a chill down her back, despite the heat of the water.
"Haruka?"
The blonde turned, looking directly into Michiru's eyes. With the lather in her hair, and her skin now shining with the water and bubbles, Michiru resembled a mythical creature… not unlike those half-people half-fish beings she had seen on the walls… Haruka wanted nothing more than to lose herself in Michiru's gaze and have her lips caress the smaller woman's…
A knock at the door drove her out of her thoughts. She noticed the diversion and went for it.
"I think that breakfast is here…" Quickly, a little too quickly, Haruka withdrew her hand from the water and tore her gaze away, standing up and walking out of the bathroom. She closed the door behind her, resting her back against it, taking a breath to calm her now racing pulse.
In the bathroom, Michiru let out a small gasp. She had unknowingly been holding her breath when Haruka looked at her and had leaned in… the look in Haruka's eyes was a tornado of emotions… fear, longing, desire… was there affection as well?
Both girls cast their eyes ceiling-ward.
'I want her,' one girl growled in her mind, a hand reaching up to cover her eyes; the other girl thought it wistfully, upturning a cup of cold water to rinse out her hair and to wake up from her daze.
"Are you sure this is okay?"
"Yes, it's fine."
"I am on your bed with you... that could be considered-"
"Haruka, shut up and eat some toast."
Michiru glared at the blonde, narrowing her eyebrows as she sipped from a cup of warm tea.
Haruka reached down and placed a piece of toast in her mouth, holding it between her teeth as she looked at Michiru, a puppy dog look in her eyes. The aqua-haired girl, who had merely been pretending to be stern, smiled and laughed politely, a hand reaching up to cover her mouth.
Haruka grinned, taking a bite out of the piece of bread. After Michiru had finished up in the bathtub, she had insisted that Haruka share her breakfast with her. Considering that it was four pieces of toast, a bowl of fresh fruit, and a kettle of tea, it was a bit much...
While they ate, the two young women talked.
"... My family usually attends court here on Neptune. It's boring most of the time, but it does have it's moments. There is this one ambassador, though. I cannot believe he was appointed; he's incredibly pompous, arrogant, and he never stops talking... you say one thing to him, the man goes off into all these tangents... It's horrible." Michiru scowled, glaring down at the now empty tea cup in her hand.
"Oh, you mean Pontius..." Haruka said absent-mindedly.
Michiru looked up, puzzlement on her face. "You know about the ambassador Pontius?"
Haruka looked up, blinking. Damn, she'd made another slip-up 'Come on, think, something, anything...'
"Well, I had to go to the court a few times as well," Haruka said, making her words as smooth as possible. "It was encouraged for some members of royalty to bring in a few of the populace at a time... For educational purposes, my uncle managed to let me in so I could see how 'our leaders' could solve problems."
Haruka was telling the truth, so to speak; her uncle had been the one to introduce her to the court life, but she hadn't been in the crowd; she'd been at her parents' side, watching as they, the King and Queen of Uranus, solved some of the diplomatic problems between the city-states.
"Most boring hour of my life, listening to Pontius talk," she finished, taking another bite of toast, looking away as to not give Michiru any clues about her deception.
Michiru was not convinced. But once again, she let the conversation slide. When Haruka was ready, she could tell Michiru the truth.
Besides, Michiru had something she needed to bring up.
Five hours later...
Haruka sank onto the warm sand, casting a hateful glance at the bags she had been carrying for what seemed like ages. Shaking her head, she faced the sunset, watching as the golden sun seemed to slide lower and lower towards the ever-moving seas.
After breakfast, Michiru had told Haruka they were going on. Instead of using chains, however, Michiru had placed a lockable bracelet on Haruka's wrist. She had informed the blonde that if they were separated- or if Haruka tried to run away- any guards on the alert could recognize her by that bracelet and take her back to the castle.
Haruka hadn't been happy at all with the announcement, or the resulting tasks she had to do while they were out. Holding the bag, setting it down, handing Michiru her purse, taking it back...and as fit as Haruka was, she felt like collapsing in her bed when they returned to Michiru's room.
Michiru came and sat down beside her, looking out at the sunset.
"It's beautiful out here... you can never truly see the sunset from any of the castle windows."
Haruka didn't reply, she kept looking out at the fading sunlight.
Michiru looked away from the beautiful view, her voice low.
"I'm sorry... that must have been difficult for you."
Haruka turned, confusion in her eyes as she looked at Michiru's downcast expression.
"Carrying the bags? No, I'll be fine-"
"No, I meant-" Michiru interrupted, looking into Haruka's eyes as she gathered her courage to say her next words. "I meant you taking all those orders... Even though I was polite, what I said...they were still commands... I hated it. I hated doing that to you." She turned her head away, still looking out at the ocean. Inwardly, she felt like running to it and jumping in to escape the silence between the two of them.
In truth, Haruka didn't know what to say. Slowly, hoping in her heart that she wasn't taking any liberties, she placed a gentle hand on Michiru's shoulder.
Michiru stilled, that single hand telling her so much about the woman she was beginning to know better... Her own hand reached up and softly, tenderly, caressed the slender fingers of Haruka's hand.
Haruka moved closer to Michiru, her hand rubbing Michiru's shoulder comfortingly. She looked up again, watching the waves. Suddenly her eyes narrowed; there was something riding on the waves...
"Michi, look, someone's out there." Haruka turned back at Michiru looked up, and out towards where Haruka was pointing.
The aqua-haired woman smiled, speaking out loud. "That's a kitesurfer... They use the wind to ride on the tops of the waves."
Haruka looked up at the darkening sky. Sure enough, there was a large, brightly colored kite, twirling and flickering in the air as the rider spun and coasted over the waves, moving with a speed and recklessness that only a professional could have.
The blonde smiled, a distant memory returning to her.
"We have a sport like that on Uranus. Only, we use it as a means of getting around- and to prove ourselves as adults." At Michiru's confused look, Haruka explained.
"Traditionally, the youth of each city-state were to travel to another city state, by foot, and return home by means of a wind surfboard." The excitement in Haruka's voice was evident, memories running through her mind.
"I lived in the capital city at the time of my journey. I remember dressing in the ceremonial clothing, I still have no idea why they called the journey 'tabi' when I thought they kept referring to my socks. When my father said 'May your journey be easy and not filled with rocks' in the old language, I almost laughed aloud." She grinned, staring out at the sun, all but the tip behind the waves.
The blonde's voice became lower, more subdued. "I don't know how long I walked for... the days seemed to roll onward into weeks... I was very hungry and thirsty, but I found food and water out there, and I knew if I was in danger, there were runners who scanned the desert to make sure no one was lost. In the past several had died because of that tradition, but the royal family wanted to make sure that while no one failed, no one died either. If you were rescued, you just had to do it all over again."
"That was what kept me walking. I didn't want to bring shame to my family by failing." She spoke simply, but her tone had an undercurrent of determination. She sighed, casting aside the old feelings.
"After two weeks since I left my home, I arrived at the closest city-state. I collapsed at the gate, but stood up again and walked into the city with my head held up. I purchased a 'board, which I had to name before I took it out on it's first ride."
An image flashed in her mind of a young girl, about thirteen years old, carrying a board and sail out past the city walls, her face serious, but an eager look in her eyes as she set up the board and sail, laughing and whooping with delight as the wind picked up and she skimmed the surface of the sand, jumped over a dune with a cloud of dust in the air.
"I named my windboard 'Kunpuu' in the old language... it means 'fragrant breeze'."
"You named your 'board 'Zephyr'?" Michiru asked, caught up in the story.
Haruka winked at Michiru. "It was the summertime... and right then I definitely needed a breeze, I hadn't been able to bath for two weeks! I thought the shopkeeper who sold the 'boards was going to throw me out!"
Michiru laughed at the expression on Haruka's face. There was no denying the handsome blonde's charm. Haruka inwardly grinned, glad to take Michiru away from her guilty thoughts.
"When I arrived, and after a good bath," Haruka grinned, making Michiru laugh again; "I was welcomed home by all of my family. And I was accepted as a full adult. My parents were so proud of me that day..." She ended her story, a wistful look in her eyes.
Michiru watched as the kite board rider coasted in, landed on the beach and started pulling in his kite, but with the stop of Haruka's words, she turned her attentions to the taller woman.
"You miss your home... I would probably miss Neptune if I were to leave."
Haruka's smile became gentle, just as it had the previous night. She gently squeezed Michiru's hand, her eyes sparkling. Michiru's heart was stilled at the sight.
"I needed to leave... I just didn't expect where I was going to end up. No one ever does, until they find out for themselves."
Quick as the wind, Haruka got to her feet, turning and facing Michiru, offering her a hand up to the breathless woman. An eyebrow raised. "May I help you up, Mi'lady?" she said, her voice imitating that of Captain Grey.
Michiru smiled, placing her hand in Haruka's. Easily the taller woman pulled, and Michiru was up on her feet.
As quick as Haruka was, Michiru was a tad quicker going over to the bags on the ground nearby and picking up her purse.
"I'll carry this back home."
Haruka blinked, reaching down to gather the remaining bags, which she stuffed into one large bag, carried easily in one hand.
"Are you cer-"
Michiru, taking Haruka by surprise, moved and placed a finger over the blonde's lips.
"Don't question me, Haruka."
Haruka looked at her questioningly. In a split second, Michiru made her choice.
She removed her finger and pressed her lips to Haruka's. Her eyes closed as Haruka's widened in shock. Then Haruka felt something in her chest... her heart had skipped a beat. She broke away, gasping slightly, still wide-eyed.
The emotion in Michiru's eyes was at first puzzled, then saddened. 'I guess Haruka didn't like the kiss...' she thought to herself, her eyes closing as tears formed behind them. She refused to cry in front of Haruka...
Suddenly a strong pair of arms folded themselves around the astonished young woman, and Michiru opened her eyes again; to stare up into Haruka's blazing glare.
"If you're expecting me to follow you, Mistress," Haruka's voice was husky, her being filled with desire as she spoke, "-you should follow through with your intentions." With no hesitation, she touched her lips to Michiru's, who eagerly returned her administrations. The kiss deepened as the two of them embraced under the stars and moon, the sun having vanished beneath the waves.
Haruka snapped awake, rolling out from beneath the engine of the car. One moment she had been working on the underbody of the car, and the next, she had fallen asleep... Damn, it had been another of those dreams...
She quickly shed off her oily coveralls and sneakers, grabbing her blazer to go on over her t-shirt and jeans before leaving the garage and running upstairs. She opened the door to her room, and seeing Michiru sitting up on the bed, walked over to her. Michiru was staring at the canvas across the room, a hand covering her mouth, her eyes wide in what seemed like shock.
"Michiru?"
Michiru tore her haunted gaze away from the painting, and threw herself in Haruka's embrace. Haruka held her close, glancing at the painting. Her muscles tensed as realization hit her.
The canvas now held a painting of a sunset on a beach... a very familiar sunset, with two shadowed figures embracing on the sands.
Haruka exhaled, holding Michiru closer to her.