Prologue:

Click clack click clack click clack………

The heels of Safhia's shoes clattered against the polished, mirrored- crystal floor as she walked briskly through the great hall towards the Queen's chambers. She could hear the cries of the newborn even here, a distinctly human sound in contrast to the cold echo of her shoes. The baby would be a girl, a sister; that much the voices had told her.

But would she pass the test?

The question seemed to echo in her mind as she reached the end of the hall, her steps slowing as she came up against the heavy silver double doors that separated her mother's private chambers from the rest of the palace. Safhia stopped directly in front of the doors, looking up at them. They were over two stories tall and several inches thick; the handles were at least a foot above her head. How am I ever going to get them open? she thought, the baby's cries sounding louder now that she was so close. She furrowed her small brow in determination and stood on her tiptoes, taking hold of the large silver door handle with both hands and pulling with all the strength in her body. After a moment the door crept open an inch, then two. She gritted her teeth and manage to pull a little harder, and the door swung open soundlessly, giving her just enough room to squeeze into the chamber beyond. She slipped inside silently, grateful for the thick deep green carpeting in this part of the palace that eliminated the sound of her steps. She looked around, making certain there was no one to see her, and hurried to the door opposite the one she had entered through. Behind this door was the bedchamber, where her mother and new sister would be. The door was slightly ajar, so Safhia pressed herself against it and peered into the room beyond.

From where she stood, Safhia could see the very center of the room. A large oaken wardrobe with mirrored crystal panels in the doors stood against the opposite wall, flanked by a smaller dresser on one side and a screened changing area on the other. She knew that her mother's grand canopied bed stood against the right-hand wall, though it was out of her field of vision . From the bed came the loud cries of the baby and the voices of her mother and father. They were too soft to hear what they were saying, but they sounded happy.

In the middle of the floor was a high, ornate, circular crystal table that looked a little like an altar, the flat tabletop covered with soft white padding. A servant carrying a large bowl of water and several soiled towels walked away from where the bed would be and towards the altar, crouching down before it and pouring some of the water in the bowl into a smaller flask on the floor. Safhia could see that the water was slightly reddish with blood. She swallowed a little nervously and shifted her weight as the servant straightened, turned, and bowed her head to the King and Queen and their newborn daughter, then left the room through a door in the left-hand wall. She knew what would happen next.

The baby's cries suddenly quieted, then were silenced. Above the altar there was a glimmer of white light, joined an instant later by a second, then a third. The three points of light grew, taking on the shape of three many-pointed stars and moving to form a semi-circle around the back of the altar. Then the stars began to grow and transform, becoming three beautiful and nearly identical women with long rivers of silver hair and perfect ivory faces. They wore elaborate mage robes of black, green, and silver, their hands clasped before them and hidden within the robes' wide sleeves. Their heads were bowed, but Safhia could see that each wore a silver band across their forehead with an onyx pendant dangling just above the nose. As the light slowly left their bodies, the women lifted their heads in unison and opened breathtakingly silver eyes, the pupils the same depthless black as the onyx pendants just above them. Safhia knew them instantly, though she could not recall ever having seen them, and she gasped at their perfect beauty, clapping her hands over her mouth in the next instant and inwardly scolding herself for allowing so audible a reaction. It didn't seem as though anyone had heard her – no one looked in her direction or made any sign that they had heard anything – however, she had the distinct feeling that her presence had been noted by the three mages inside.

:Quite perceptive for one so young,: came a woman's voice in her mind, sounding slightly amused.

:We know you are there,: said a second, :But do not worry little one, we will not reveal you.:

:You have certainly gone to a lot of trouble to get here, there is no reason why you should not watch now,: said a third, and the three mages inside seemed to glance her way for an instant, the corners of their mouths twitching slightly with controlled smiles. Safhia's eyes widened she met their gaze, and then she smiled slightly. She could have answered them, but she had a feeling no response was necessary. Something told her they knew her thoughts even before she did herself.

The three women turned collectively towards the king and queen and their new child, and the tallest of the three opened her mouth to speak.

"The three mystics Ashanti, Avani, and Archana at your service, highness," she said in a softly echoing mezzo voice, gesturing to the two women on either side of her, then clasping her hands in front of her as the three bowed in unison.

"Welcome, Lady Archana," came Kailia's voice, sounding somewhat weakened but regal nonetheless. "You and your sisters grace us with your presence."

The sisters straightened and Archana smiled gently. "We come only to do what is required of us, highness." She held out her arms, silver bracelets jingling softly. "Bring us the child."

A moment later, Asram entered into Safhia's line of view, the little baby cradled protectively in his arms and wrapped in a soft white cloth. He approached the tallest mage Archana, who stood several inches above him, and laid the child in her outstretched arms. She held her to her bosom gently, turning to the altar behind her. Slowly, she laid the child on the padded surface of the altar, loosening the cloth around her as her sisters Ashanti and Arvani moved to stand on either side of their sister, forming a triangle around the altar. Archana bent and picked up the flask of water at the foot of the altar, pouring a few drops into the palm of her right hand and into the hands of her sisters. Archana closed her eyes and extended her hand palm-up over the child, and Ashanti and Arvani placed their own open hands over hers. With their left hands, the three mystics made a sign of summation, chanting collectively under their breath in a haunting monotone, and the air between their open hands and the child on the altar began to glow. Safhia could see looks of extreme concentration and determination on the faces of the three sisters, and for a moment there was no sound aside from the voices of the mystics.

Then, as Safhia watched, there was a second glow of light against the baby's forehead. The little girl giggled and clapped her tiny hands as the light formed itself into the symbol of the olive flower. There was a moment of stillness as the chanting of the mages suddenly silenced, and then in a rush the light that had gathered above the child was absorbed into her body. Archana and her sisters opened their eyes and smiled down at the child, who smiled back with the pure happiness of the innocent as the olive- flower symbol on her forehead glowed softly with a warm, white light. The three women touched the first two fingers of their right hands to the symbol on the baby's forehead and spoke together in a one voice:

"On this day, we, the three mystics of Kinmoku, grant thee the powers of a planetary senshi and the protection of the stars. We name thee Kakyuu, the olive flower, and declare thee the new heir to the throne of Kinmoku. May you grow in strength, in soul, and in heart, and may you always use your powers for the good of your kingdom."

Safhia felt a grin spread across her face as she let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in.

It WORKED!

Archana lifted the smiling, giggling child into her arms and kissed her forehead gently, then turned to where King Asram stood, beaming with pride. "Congratulations, highnesses," she said, stepping lightly towards Asram and placing little Kakyuu in his arms. "This child will indeed become the new ruler of Kinmoku. Give her all your love and care, and raise her as you were raised, as a child of the light."

"Thank you….thank you, all of you," Asram said, the smile on his face stretching from ear to ear. "We will do our best for her."

Archana smiled as Asram returned to the bed with his dughter. "We know," she replied, then, for the first time since the ritual began, looked over to where Safhia was hiding. "And now there is someone else who would like to meet the little princess," she said with a gentle smile, and gestured to Safhia to come inside. Safhia swallowed, frozen for a moment in indecision, then pulled the door open just enough to slip inside and did so, stopping just inside the door and looking at her feet, feeling ashamed.

'Now now little one, don't be afraid,' came Arvani's voice, and Safhia looked up to see all three mystics smiling at her. Her mother lay in bed with the new princess held to her breast and her husband sitting beside her. They both looked at their elder daughter with glittering eyes, and Asram beckoned her to come in. Sensing that there would be no scolding for her this time, Safhia smiled shyly and went to the side of the bed, her eyes glued to the little bundle in Kailia's lap. Asram lifted her onto the bed and held her with his arm about her waist as she knelt on the bed covers, peering at the tiny baby inside the blankets.

"Safhia, say hello to your new little sister," Kailia said softly, as Safhia streched out one hand and touched the baby's small, soft hand. The child squealed happily and closed her tiny fingers around Safhia's, who smiled softly.

"My little sister…." She whispered, and Kailia and Asram exchanged a gentle glance.

"Her name is Kakyuu," Asram said, stroking the baby's soft hair gently. "and she is going to be a senshi, just like your mother." He kissed his wife's forehead gently, slipping his free arm around her shoulders.

"A senshi……" she repeated, savoring the words. 'This means I won't have to rule!' she thought happily, and kissed the top of Kakyuu's head gently. "I love my new little sister!" she said with a grin, snuggling up to her mother, her fingers still held in the baby's tiny hand.

Archana, Arvani, and Ashanti exchanged knowing glances and began to shimmer out of sight, once again becoming three many-pointed stars, then only three points of light, then one. But the happy family barely noticed as the last point of light faded from the room, so lost were they in the joy of this new miracle.