Chapter 1~
A young, pregnant girl stumbled through the forest. Her movements were uncoordinated, as if she had not walked in a long time. She had very long, dirty hair and a filthy dress upon her person. Her whole body was streaked in mud, and leaves were caught in what appeared to be brown hair. Her reddish-pink eyes were filled with unshed tears, but she refused to cry.
'He practically told me a temple was here one purpose!' she thought vehemently. She looked as if she had camped for many nights on the cold, hard ground. Her arms and legs were littered with cuts, scrapes and bruises one could only presume to be from thorns catching the soft skin, and stumbling over protruding rocks. When she finally stumbled upon the temple she fainted on the steps, only to be caught by strong arms and laid gently on the ground.
~*~Helios's POV~*~
A filthy young girl stumbled in today. Lucky for her, I was there to catch her when she fainted. There is, for certain, something familiar about this young girl that I find myself attracted to.
I cannot be attracted to anyone, though. Pluto, Guardian of time, will be the one to choose my future bride. No one knows how she chooses. I have only once let myself become infatuated with a girl. But, for more than one reason, I had thought that I was about to die, or worse--be made a slave of Queen Nephalania. Just thinking the name makes me shiver inside and out, and sends specks of ice up and down my spine. The young girls name also sends shivers up my spine, but these are warm wonderful shivers that I wouldn't give up for all the tea in the kingdoms. My dear, wonderful, beautiful, gorgeous Rini.
It has been three months sense you disappeared from your bedroom and, presumably, died. I know you're still alive, though. Of course, no one would listen if I told them though. No one would ever listen to a priest. I can feel it in my bones, Rini. Where you are now? I can only guess and wish.
The young girl beside me begins to stir. I am afraid she may have hurt herself during her trip, so I stayed and watched her. When she fully awakens, I will pour her a bath and make her get clean. I begin to heat the bath water all the while trying to figure out who this young girl is. She sits by my side while I begin pouring the water into the tub. She has the look a small frightened child about her. It's pathetic to watch. "Go ahead," I say. "There's nothing to be afraid of," at this she turns bright red and makes me realize why she has not gotten in. Blushing I excuse myself and quickly begin to walk from the room.
I am startled to hear a small "Thank you Helios," coming from the girls mouth. I then leave the room, confused. No one but Her family and my fellow priests and priestess's know my real name.
~*~Mystery Girl POV~*~
I watch as he leaves the room. I feel a twang of...something I can't place. I think it must be because of the stupid feelings I must still have for him. My stupid mother just had to go and make that rule. If I knew where Pluto was I would go there immediately and beg her to ask my mother to withdraw her course of action. I slip off my garments and step into the steaming bath water. It feels as if I haven't had a proper bath in ages;, probably not. I allow myself to play idly in the tub, something I haven't done since I was three and it feels enlightening.
I feel filthy. One good thing about the water on Elysion, it will never get dirty. That is why most of the planets import their water from here. I hear him saying, "There's a fresh change of clothing in the closet and a towel next to the tub," through the door. He thinks of everything. Just the sound of his voice sends me into a deep stupor. I suppose he'll recognize me almost at once. Almost everyone does. I've seen the papers. I was in almost in everyone, well, until the last one. I can still see the headline: 'Moon Princess Presumed Dead'. I am very much alive, thank you very much.
~*~Helios's POV~*~
'Thank you, Helios.' That small, timid voice plays itself out over and over again in my head. How does she know my name? Not many people do. They just think of me as the Priest of Elysion. Her voice reminds me of something I heard long ago. I don't remember who said it though. I hear splashing around and call out where everything is, assuming that she is done, although I doubt it. Just then, I hear the click of a door opening. There, standing framed in the doorway is a young girl. Her hair is done up in a white towel. She is wearing a long white shirt and white pants. All of a sudden I start to wonder if heaven is missing an angel. She looks so utterly beautiful just standing there, the sunlight playing on her li--No, I mustn't get sidetracked. I feel myself asking, "Would you like something to eat or drink?"
~*~Mystery Girl POV~*~
When he asks if I would like anything to eat or drink, I suddenly realize that I am ravenous. "Yes please!" I say happily, wondering, not for the first time, what priests have for food. What he brings out is unlike anything I would have ever expected. Perhaps it was because he got it out of thin air, I would never be able to tell, but what is on the small platter is almost exactly what I am craving. I sit down on the ground and begin to wolf down the food that he has given me, barely noticing that my towel is slowly slipping off of my hair. It must have because suddenly yelps "Princess!" and jumps about three feet off the ground, his eyes becoming wide as saucers.
A young, pregnant girl stumbled through the forest. Her movements were uncoordinated, as if she had not walked in a long time. She had very long, dirty hair and a filthy dress upon her person. Her whole body was streaked in mud, and leaves were caught in what appeared to be brown hair. Her reddish-pink eyes were filled with unshed tears, but she refused to cry.
'He practically told me a temple was here one purpose!' she thought vehemently. She looked as if she had camped for many nights on the cold, hard ground. Her arms and legs were littered with cuts, scrapes and bruises one could only presume to be from thorns catching the soft skin, and stumbling over protruding rocks. When she finally stumbled upon the temple she fainted on the steps, only to be caught by strong arms and laid gently on the ground.
~*~Helios's POV~*~
A filthy young girl stumbled in today. Lucky for her, I was there to catch her when she fainted. There is, for certain, something familiar about this young girl that I find myself attracted to.
I cannot be attracted to anyone, though. Pluto, Guardian of time, will be the one to choose my future bride. No one knows how she chooses. I have only once let myself become infatuated with a girl. But, for more than one reason, I had thought that I was about to die, or worse--be made a slave of Queen Nephalania. Just thinking the name makes me shiver inside and out, and sends specks of ice up and down my spine. The young girls name also sends shivers up my spine, but these are warm wonderful shivers that I wouldn't give up for all the tea in the kingdoms. My dear, wonderful, beautiful, gorgeous Rini.
It has been three months sense you disappeared from your bedroom and, presumably, died. I know you're still alive, though. Of course, no one would listen if I told them though. No one would ever listen to a priest. I can feel it in my bones, Rini. Where you are now? I can only guess and wish.
The young girl beside me begins to stir. I am afraid she may have hurt herself during her trip, so I stayed and watched her. When she fully awakens, I will pour her a bath and make her get clean. I begin to heat the bath water all the while trying to figure out who this young girl is. She sits by my side while I begin pouring the water into the tub. She has the look a small frightened child about her. It's pathetic to watch. "Go ahead," I say. "There's nothing to be afraid of," at this she turns bright red and makes me realize why she has not gotten in. Blushing I excuse myself and quickly begin to walk from the room.
I am startled to hear a small "Thank you Helios," coming from the girls mouth. I then leave the room, confused. No one but Her family and my fellow priests and priestess's know my real name.
~*~Mystery Girl POV~*~
I watch as he leaves the room. I feel a twang of...something I can't place. I think it must be because of the stupid feelings I must still have for him. My stupid mother just had to go and make that rule. If I knew where Pluto was I would go there immediately and beg her to ask my mother to withdraw her course of action. I slip off my garments and step into the steaming bath water. It feels as if I haven't had a proper bath in ages;, probably not. I allow myself to play idly in the tub, something I haven't done since I was three and it feels enlightening.
I feel filthy. One good thing about the water on Elysion, it will never get dirty. That is why most of the planets import their water from here. I hear him saying, "There's a fresh change of clothing in the closet and a towel next to the tub," through the door. He thinks of everything. Just the sound of his voice sends me into a deep stupor. I suppose he'll recognize me almost at once. Almost everyone does. I've seen the papers. I was in almost in everyone, well, until the last one. I can still see the headline: 'Moon Princess Presumed Dead'. I am very much alive, thank you very much.
~*~Helios's POV~*~
'Thank you, Helios.' That small, timid voice plays itself out over and over again in my head. How does she know my name? Not many people do. They just think of me as the Priest of Elysion. Her voice reminds me of something I heard long ago. I don't remember who said it though. I hear splashing around and call out where everything is, assuming that she is done, although I doubt it. Just then, I hear the click of a door opening. There, standing framed in the doorway is a young girl. Her hair is done up in a white towel. She is wearing a long white shirt and white pants. All of a sudden I start to wonder if heaven is missing an angel. She looks so utterly beautiful just standing there, the sunlight playing on her li--No, I mustn't get sidetracked. I feel myself asking, "Would you like something to eat or drink?"
~*~Mystery Girl POV~*~
When he asks if I would like anything to eat or drink, I suddenly realize that I am ravenous. "Yes please!" I say happily, wondering, not for the first time, what priests have for food. What he brings out is unlike anything I would have ever expected. Perhaps it was because he got it out of thin air, I would never be able to tell, but what is on the small platter is almost exactly what I am craving. I sit down on the ground and begin to wolf down the food that he has given me, barely noticing that my towel is slowly slipping off of my hair. It must have because suddenly yelps "Princess!" and jumps about three feet off the ground, his eyes becoming wide as saucers.