Michiru Kaioh Michiru@tellmeimcute.com
Rating: PG
http://smcollection.www.50Megs.com/index.html

I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I enjoy writting it!
Any comments, suggestions, flames, rants, are always welcome. Though
the last 2 will be given the respect they deserve. (read: they will
be used for virtual kitty-litter.)


Standard disclaimers apply. I do not own any rights to Sailor Moon or
any of the characters therein. I am merely borrowing them for a little
while. Now, on to the story!


Windswept Waters
Part 7: Escape!


Michiru lay curled into a tight ball in the middle of the guest bed.
This room had become her prison. She couldn't believe she had been so
naive! Replaying it in her mind, Michiru knew she should have known her
Mother would not be taking such an interest in her unless she had something
planned. And she had had something planned. First Haruka's banishment, and
now...THIS.
Recalling her Mother's face, that unholy glee, Michiru shudders slightly.
"I'm to be married..." The words were a mere breath of sound in the silent room.
She barely remembered him. He used to come to their house for visits when
she was a child. Some rich friend of her father's, but he was so old! Why he
must be 45 at least! Thinking of this, she dragged herself from the bed and
to the windows. They overlooked the back gardens; too bad she was 4 floors
up, she mused.
A light knock sounded at her door, before she had time to do more than
turn towards it, an older maid entered carrying her supper. As she set the
tray on the table in the middle of the room, Michiru though she saw a
slip of white under it. Then the maid turned and was gone.
Hurrying to the table, she moved the dishes till she saw the paper.
Her heart beat faster, could Haruka have sent her a message? She opened
the slip of paper with shaking hands. A single word was printed upon it.
Midnight.

* * * * * * *

Promptly at midnight, a key turned in the lock, and the door opened
silently. Michiru had what few possessions had been allowed her in her new
room, packed and ready. The same maid who had delivered the note beckoned
to her silently.
"Is Haruka waiting outside?" Michiru couldn't help but to ask as
she walked towards the woman. The older woman frowned at her and held
a finger to her lips before turning and leading the way.
They passed through the silent house like ghosts. So secure was the
Lady Nara in her daughter's inability to escape, she had not even posted
any extra guards around her daughter's room.
As they passed through the kitchen, the servant handed Michiru a bag,
not allowing her to stop long enough to look within. As they stepped outside
at last, she turned to thank her.
"Hush now Miss. Voices carry far on cold nights like this one. Now you
go find your young man. Off with you now, before you're spotted."
"But why are you helping me? You willll get in such trouble if they find
out it was you who let me escape!"
The old servant just smiled. "I had a young man when I was your age. I
was foolish and let him slip away. You hadn't the choice in the matter, now
you do." She nodded and went into the house, closing the door.
Michiru sighed softly, then started the first part of her journey. She
didn't know where to look first. For all their conversations, she had never
asked in what direction Haruka came from; and Haruka had never volunteered
the information.
*I guess one way is as good as another... If I don't find news of her,
I can always pick another road.* Thus resolved, she took the left-hand fork.
A shining silver ribbon, it gleamed faintly in the moonlight.
She didn't bother to pay much attention to her surroundings, instead
concentrating on getting as far, and as fast from her home as she could by
dawn. Unused to exerting herself this much, she was soon tired, and wishing
for a rest, and a hot soak. Pausing to see how far she'd come, all she saw,
before and behind her, was the road. Twisting and curving like a snake, for
miles. She had passed the last settled area about a half hour before.
Surrounded by scrubland, she decided to look for a place to sleep and
hide. She would travel nights only for the first day or so, until she was
far away from any pursuit.

Hidden in a small depression, created by a fallen tree, she pulled
branches over and around her, screening herself from view. She was well
back from the road, so none would see her unless they knew where to look.
Only then did she allow herself to sleep.