Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, nor do I own the song "Storms in Africa." I am borrowing them for entertainment purposes only; no money is being made from the writing or reading of this story.
Pray for a Storm
©2000-2001 by Kei
Chapter 3
Cá fhad é
Ó tús go deireadh
Makoto stood on one of the many balconies of the castle, leaning against the marble railing and letting the wind blow through her hair, which hung free down her back, reaching her waist. She was wearing a green silk nightgown with a wide scoop neck and a skirt billowing about her legs to her ankles. She had felt the storm coming and wanted to be there when it hit. Though the sky had not yet noticeably darkened, the girl still knew it would arrive soon.
"You enjoy storms, Makoto?" a voice asked from behind her and gasped, whirling around with her hand over her rapidly-beating heart. She saw it was only Ayla and let out her breath.
The maid had white hair that didn't match her age, and it was cut to her shoulders. Her eyes were an eerie, icy blue color that reminded Makoto of the color of lightning. She always wore a black dress with long sleeves and an ankle-length skirt, with a white apron over that, just like all the other maids in the palace.
The tall brunette shook her head to clear it and smiled. "Yes, I do," she answered at last.
"Then you will be pleased with this one," Ayla winked, hanging up a number of dresses in Makoto's tall mahogany wardrobe with gold knobs and handles. Nephrite was providing his guest with more clothes than she ever remembered having at home.
The woman had left before Makoto could ask how she knew about the storm. She stared at the open door and thought, 'Who are you?'
Suddenly, drawing her away from her inner questions, thunder roared overhead and a bolt of lightning cracked in the distance, its brilliance exploding in the sky blackened by ominous clouds waiting to release their heavy rains.
Makoto turned her head upward and droplets splashed on her skin; she felt like they were cleansing her of all that had happened. And as the rain poured down harder, in sheets, images of her friends were in her mind, and she remembered how she had scared them. She fleetingly wondered if they were sad that she was gone, or happy or angry, but she knew she couldn't do anything about the fact now, so she shoved the thought away as her tears mixed with the rain.
"Mako," a deep, male voice said right as a clap of thunder occurred, and she could swear the voice was in the thunder. "You'll catch your death out here."
Turning slowly, she saw Nephrite standing on the threshold of the balcony, gazing at her. He was wearing pajamas consisting of a light blue pair of cotton trousers and a long-sleeved, button-down shirt of the same soft hue. Makoto couldn't help but smile at him.
"I won't," she assured him. "You don't need to worry about me. I can—"
She was cut off abruptly when he was at her side in a second and gripping her tightly on her upper arms near her shoulders. The look in his eyes was intense but gentle at the same time as he brushed her hair all behind her, leaving her neck and collarbone vulnerable. He placed his hands so that his four fingers were on her throat while his thumbs were resting against her reddened cheeks.
"You can take care of yourself," he finished for her. "I know."
"Nephrite, I…" She didn't know what to say. Being so close to him in such a setting left her completely speechless.
"What are you doing to me?" he asked huskily, moving his head down closer to hers, his warm breath caressing her slender, exposed neck. "The feelings you stir inside me are ones that I have never felt before…it's like a dream…"
She swallowed hard and opened her mouth to speak. "I don't mean to do anything, Nephrite…"
"But you are," he told her, his face all of sudden sheer millimeters from hers. She sucked in her breath sharply when he kissed her full on the lips. Her green eyes went wide but then she closed them and kissed him back. And when his tongue pressed at her lips, she parted them and let him probe her warm mouth.
'I can die happy now,' she thought, and a moment later they parted, both in need of air and soaked to the bone. But neither felt the cold rain pelting them.
"Are you a sorceress?" Nephrite inquired, studying her intently. "Have you cast some sort of love spell over me?"
This took her by surprise and she took a step away from him, hurt welling up inside her. She held her hands up in front of her heart in fists, unconsciously trying to protect it.
"I have magical powers, but they're not that kind," she told him. "And even if they were, I wouldn't use them; I want you to love me of your own free will! And if I had put a spell on you, do you really think you would be asking me about it?"
He immediately looked regretful and apologetic. "Forgive me, Mako. But what I feel is so foreign and unfamiliar that it actually scares me. I'm trying to find some logical, rational explanation for the emotions you've wakened in me, but that search is completely fruitless."
"So what do you want from me?" Makoto asked.
"I want…" he started slowly, letting the words settle on his tongue before speaking again. "I want your love, Makoto, all your love."
Makoto started crying again and found herself unable to stop as she lifted her hand to smooth back some wet strands of hair plastered to his forehead. He caught her hand in his and stared deep in her eyes, anticipating her answer.
"Nephrite, you already have all my love," she told him with a watery smile.
Lightning flashed again in the sky as he kissed her a second time, with all the passion and power of the storm.
In a dark cave in the realm of Klesvigta, the tender scene between Nephrite and Makoto was shown in a crystal ball sitting on a table. The one gazing into the orb had glowing red eyes with a bloodthirsty glint in them. Fingers on a thin hand the color of chalk danced across the shiny surface and evil laughter echoed off the cave walls.
"Oh, yes, Thunder Goddess, enjoy your happiness with him while you can!" the person cackled. "For soon he will be dead and you will be mine…"
How long is it
From beginning to end