As we continued down the hall, Eagle said to me, "Why did your Mom
and Dad go away, exactly?" I stared at him, realizing for the first time I
didn't actually know. "Did I say something wrong, Cerina?"

"Wha? Oh, no. I was just thinking. As for your question, I don't exactly
know." His turn to stare at me.

"You don't KNOW why your parents ditched you and went off alone to
Autozam for a year?" I felt my face grow hot.

"They didn't ditch me! The alliance between Autozam and Cephiro is a
delicate one, and they felt it needed to be strengthened." He looked
frightened for a minute, as if he didn't know I could lose my temper like
that.

"Oh. I always thought- Well, I hope you'll forgive me someday for saying
this, but- I thought your Mom and Dad left because they couldn't stand
to see you turn fourteen. Because that's when your Mom became a
Magic Knight and ended up killing Princess Emeraude." I thought fire
would come shooting out of my ears. I could hardly breathe, so it
surprised me that words came out of my mouth. What they said was
even more surprising- inside, I knew Eagle meant no harm.

"How... Dare.. you... My parents would never do a thing like that!
NEVER! they always took care of my brother and me, cared for us, were
always so supportive. There's NO WAY that could be true." I screamed,
running off down the hall in the direction we had just come, not caring if
I never saw Hikaru Shidoh and her family again. I realize late that this was
a rash feeling, but you know how it is when you're angry.

It was now as I tore down the halls, crying silently and getting lost, that I
realized the truth in Eagle's words. Maybe not in all of it, but it did make
perfect sense. Mother and Father didn't want me hurt, but they didn't
want themselves hurt! Convienient they picked the year of my passing to
adulthood (in Cephiro), 14, to go on a trip to Autozam. How could they?
My kind and loving parents. I turned red at the fact that I actually needed
someone like Eagle to point that out to me. I jerked back to reality as I
nearly crashed into two HUGE doors. As I waited for the crash, (The floor
was a bit slippery, and I couldn't stop myself,) the doors opened to
accept me and I skidded right past them, fervently hoping I wasn't about
to get in trouble. I skidded to a stop. The man that greeted us from
yesterday was there, facing the throne. We were alone, and I don't think
he noticed me. I cleared my throat, and he jumped a foot in the air,
confirming my suspicions.

"Hello, Princess Cerina. May I help you in any way?"

"Umm, I'm sorry I busted in like this- the doors were open and I was
skidding along the floor..." I trailed off noticing how childish my
explanation sounded. He smiled.

"Well, It's all right. Aren't you staying with Hikaru Shidoh?"

"Yes, sir. Unfortunately..." I paused and he looked at me, "Her son Eagle
pointed out something that was a bit raw about me parents. Raw, yes,
but upon further reflection, I find it true." He arched an eyebrow.

"Really? I find no flaw in your parents, not anything big, anyway.
Everyone has their faults, somewhere."

"Yes," I agreed miserably.

"Would you like to tell me what's troubling you?" I looked surprised at
this help from a stranger. He provided us with these- I don't know how to
describe them, so I honestly hope you know what I'm talking about-
chairs of light, suspended in the air. Cautiously, I sat down, to find them
quite comfortable.

"Well, it all starts, I suppose, with Father being the Prince of Cephiro, and
Mother a Magic Knight. Oh, of course, I love them very much, but..."

flashback

Cerina is six years old, listening in on a conversation between her parents
from outside the door. Fuu and Ferio are inside the room, sitting in front
of a cozy fire, much contradictory to the conversation.
"Ferio..." Fuu has her head in her hands. "Please, we're going to hurt
Cerina." Ferio gives her a sad, comforting smile and grabs her arm.

"Fuu, sometimes you have to look at it from another point of view.
Thousands in Cephiro are counting on us to deliver these messages and
make an alliance between Autozam and Cephiro."

"Cerina is the most important thing to me! I can't stand to leave her.
She's my daughter, and I should care for her, Ferio. So-"

"Even though she is our daughter, Fuu, the horrible truth is that she
comes AFTER each and every one of the thousands of people in Cephiro.
That's the order they're supposed to come in our hearts."

Scene fades out, with Fuu crying, and little Cerina running away from the
door, away down a dark hall.

End flashback

I got up, feeling a huge weight of poison had come off my chest,
suddenly replaced embarassment when I realized I was crying. I dried
them in vain, as more were pouring down my face and tried to smile.

"I guess I'll go back to Miss Hikaru's now. Please excuse me, Master
Mage." I bowed and backed out of the room, and hurried back to
Hikaru's place in the quarters.

Once I arrived, the first person I noticed, (pathetically,) was Eagle, sitting
at the table. I sat down next to him, playing my finger through the
grooves in the wood.

"Eagle?" I paused. No answer. He was pretending to be absorbed in a
book, but his eyes weren't moving across the page. "Eagle, I'm sorry." He
looked up, and I could see the blue in his eyes. I stood up, preparing to
leave, as I walked to the door, I stopped, turnied around, and said,
"Unfortunately, what you said was true." As I left and closed the door, I
saw his fingers going slowly over the grooves in the wood in the table.

I saw your back, your back toward the window,
I kept my hands by my sides,
Something filled the air,
Cherry blossoms and angels dancing,
All around me life was laughing,
The bubbling brook laughing joyously,
Until my eyes landed at your feet.

Your fist were clenched,
O fate of mine,
Your eyes and heart on fire,
Ice in every step,
I knew a new meaning,
Of 'malicious intent,'
The world spun around me and I opened my eyes,
O fate of mine,
You are etched in my mind for eternity.

~ Cerina, Princess of Cephiro.
'O fate of mine'
A dream of her heart,
Of what is to come.

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Authors note:

Well, y'all, there's the end to another one! Hopefully I'm not killing
you with so many chapters (right,) but I wanted to get this chapter up
for all the lil' nice people who gave me such nice reviews! Thank you,
and the next chap. will be up ASAP!!! ~ A. Potter