Chapter 1

~ 6 months later

Kailia smiled to herself as the sounds of happy children's laughter reached her ears from across the room. She sat perched on a cushioned stool in the corner while her two little girls played among the pile of toys in the middle of the room, sewing a blanket for Kakyuu's crib. Of course she had servants to do this sort of thing, but she felt more comfortable when she kept her hands busy. Besides, she found the chore oddly relaxing, and it gave her an excuse to stay near her children and leave her husband to handle matters of state for at least a short time. She relished this time with her girls, for she knew they would grow quickly and these times would not last for long. She looked up from her sewing and sighed, her gaze resting as always on her older daughter. Safhia was entertaining her younger sister with a doll made to look like a fairy, making it "fly" and touch the little girl with her wand, while Kakyuu giggled and reached for it with her little hands.

Safhia had been the perfect older sister to the little baby, though she was still only a little girl herself. She barely left her side, playing with her, feeding her when her mother would allow it, and sometimes even sleeping on a pillow beside the crib. She had obviously fallen in love with her new sister, as had everyone in the court. And when it had been announced that little Kakyuu had passed the test and received her senshi powers, making her Kailia's official heir, a collective sigh of relief went up among the Kinmokian people. When Safhia was born, her body had been too small and weak to handle the powers that the three mystics tried to bestow upon her. If they had not seen her weakness, the magic running through her body would have torn her apart from within. When it was announced that she had failed the test and was declared unable to use the powers of a senshi, Kailia's people had begun to worry that they would be in the hands of a ruler who was less-than-capable of protecting them. Some believed that they already were. They began to doubt Kailia's abilities, claiming that it was her own fault that she had not been able to produce an able heir, and that perhaps she was no more fit to rule than her daughter. It had been a difficult 8 years since Safhia had been born.

But with the birth of Kakyuu, it seemed as though the people had been reassured of both their Queen's strength and their safety under the one who would take her place. The accusations had stopped, and the look of respect had returned in the eyes of the members of Kailia's court. She should have been happy. She should have been able to relax.

And yet, something still troubled her. She knew that Safhia had endured much for one so young. The people of her planet, as much as she loved them, could be cruel at times, and they had looked down upon her for her shortcoming, and the people of Kinmoku knew little of subtlety. She was certain that Safhia had been aware of the people's opinion of her, despite her age, and it had made her quiet and withdrawn. She didn't like leaving the palace, unless her mother was with her, even though Kailia knew how much the little princess loved playing in the vast Kinmokian fields. She would cry if Kailia mentioned beginning schooling with other children, and would refuse to leave Kailia's side when she was holding court. It was difficult for the Queen to watch; she loved her first-born dearly, senshi powers or none, and it bothered her that she was so shy and afraid. If only she was not so small and fragile, she would have been heir to the throne as was deserving of her, and perhaps her first years would have been easier.

'Perhaps, but she should be counted lucky, having so loving a mother.'

Kailia's eyes widened slightly, then she chuckled softly and smiled, recognizing the voice immediately. 'Welcome, my friend,' She sent back, as a point of soft white light appeared beside her, expanding to become a floating glass orb containing a miniature image of the Lady Archana. 'What it is it that brings you? For it is rare that you should visit me without reason.'

The image of Archana bowed her head slightly. 'You know me well, highness. Indeed, there is due reason for this visit. My sister Ashanti has received a vision of your eldest daughter, Safhia.'

Kailia turned her head to look at the mage, who's eyes rested on the girls playing on the floor. 'What news do you bring?' she sent, anxiousness creeping into her mindvoice. She knew the mystics never received visions unless it was a matter of grave importance, for well or ill.

Archana looked at her and met her eyes, then smiled slightly. 'Worry not highness, I come not to bring you grief. No harm will befall the child…' Then her expression grew serious, as she looked at the playing children, this time resting her gaze on Safhia, whose back was turned to the two women. 'However, I come bearing a warning, and I pray that you will heed it. Otherwise, I cannot predict the child's fate.'

'I have always trusted you, have I not?' Kailia returned, and Archana smiled slightly and nodded.

'That you have…very well. Hear my words then, and take them to heart.' She said, as the orb containing her image drifted around in front of Kailia. Archana folded her hands inside the sleeves of her robe as she met Kailia's eyes. 'Safhia's body is weak, and she will never gain the strength to fight as most people can. However, she possesses a mind stronger than any I have seen in over a century. Her powers are not unlike those you and I wield, yet they are many, many times stronger. If trained properly, beginning now, she will eventually have the strength to bring a mage of my level to his knees with only the power of her thoughts, and it will be of little effort to her.'

Kailia looked beyond Archana to where Safhia sat, her eyes wide. 'That explains the "voices" she is always talking about……she says they tell her things, and that she feels things…..I always believed she simply had a particularly active imagination…'

Archana nodded. 'She knows of her abilities, though she does not understand that they are anything unusual. Nor does she understand that she must be taught to use them. She is aware of the information picked up by her telepathic senses, and to a certain extent she can process it, but she does not understand how to glean what is important from what is not, and she stores it all away injudiciously. She must be taught to use her abilities correctly, or in time she will be unable to tell her own thoughts from those she picks up from others. It will cause an identity crisis no amount of counseling or healing will be able to fix.'

Kailia nodded. 'I will be certain to have her trained, though by who I do not know……there is no one in our kingdom who could handle a mind so strong…..'

Archana held up a hand. 'Worry not, my sisters and I will take the responsibility of training her. Her strength surpasses even ours, but together I think we will have little difficulty with her. However, there is more that I must tell you.'

'More?' Kailia asked, surprised. 'What more do the fates have in store for my little one?

The Mystics face darkened as her eyes took on a far-away look. 'There is one who would steal her away and manipulate her powers to serve the will of darkness. He is a mage of a strength rivaling Safhia's, but he does not have her abilities of mind magic. He is not yet aware of her existence, but in time he will be. And when he comes for her, none but she herself will have the strength to oppose him. She will be faced with a decision, and if she chooses the wrong path, our world will be lost to the darkness. All will fall to his power if he is not defeated, and if she does not do it, no one will.'

Kailia's heart was racing as she listened to Archana's words, her eyes wide and frightened. "All will fall…….." she murmured aloud, looking past the image of the mystic once more to her two daughters. 'Who is this man? How long do we have?' she sent hurriedly, her mindvoice broken and frightened. Archana only shook her head.

'I can tell you no more, Ashanti's vision ends here. All I can tell you is that we have time.' Sensing the Queen's distress, Archana sent a wave of calming mind-magic into her. 'There will be time enough to prepare the child for what is to come, and to teach her to use her abilities to their full extent. But, we can do no more than that. In the end, the fate of our world will be held in her hand, and the decision will be hers to make, when it comes.'

Kailia sighed deeply, her eyes fixed on her elder daughter, as the orb containing Archana's image drifted back to her side and Archana too rested her gaze on the child. "My poor little one…" Kailia said softly. "How much will she be forced to endure for our people? She is so young, and yet she must be burdened with this prophecy…"

Safhia heard her mother's voice and turned to look at her, and a smile spread across her face seeing Archana beside her. She stood and skipped over to them, hugging her mother around the waist and smiling up at Archana. "I thought you were here. I could feel your light, right here," she said, pointing at a spot in the middle of her chest. Archana smiled back at her.

"I know you did." She said. "You are a very special girl, little princess."

Safhia giggled and snuggled closer to her mother, who wrapped a protective arm about her shoulders and hugged her. She looked over to Archana, who met her eyes instantly.

'Do not tell her of the prophecy, she is yet to young to understand,' Archana warned. 'Explain to her about her powers; we will take care of the rest.'

Kailia nodded and turned back to her daughter. "Safhia, do you know what it means to have magic?" she asked her. Safhia nodded.

"Its what you have Mama, and what the Ladies gave Kakyuu when she was born."

"That's right. And you know that Kakyuu will have to be taught to use her magic, just as I was when I received it." Safhia nodded again. "Well, those feelings you have, the voices you hear, that is a different sort of magic. And just like Kakyuu, you will have to learn to use it."

Safhia suddenly looked nervous. "That is magic? Does that mean I am a senshi like you and Kakyuu, mama?" she asked, here eyes wide and slightly frightened. Kakyuu shook her head, much to Safhia's relief.

"No little one, you will never be a senshi," Kailia answered gently, afraid that what she was saying would disappoint the little girl. Much to her surprise, Safhia smiled and seemed less nervous at her words. "But the powers you have are still a form of magic, and you must still learn to use them properly. Lady Archana and her sisters have agreed to help you and teach you."

Safhia's smile widened. "You mean I don't have to go to school with the other children anymore?" she asked, and Kailia chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, but you will still have to work hard. It is very important that you learn well what the good Ladies have to teach you." she said, and Safhia nodded happily.

"I will mama, I promise!" she said, quite pleased with this new development..

Kailia smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Good girl. Now go along and play with your sister, Mama wants to speak with Lady Archana for a moment."

"Alright Mama." Safhia stood up on her tiptoes as Kailia leaned down so that she could kiss her cheek, then she skipped back over to where Kakyuu was playing with blocks on the floor. Kailia watched her, saying nothing, and Archana looked over at her.

'Worry not, my Queen,' she sent gently. 'I have faith in her. She has a good heart, that much I can see, and I believe when the time comes, she will make the right decision. And my sisters and I will see to it that she is ready to do so.'

'I know…' the Queen sent back, sighing once more. 'I only wish it did not have to be so.'

Archana fixed her gaze upon the Queen, who turned and met her eyes. 'All will be well, Kailia. Do not doubt that.' Then the mystic smiled softly, and the orb began to contract as the image within disappeared, slowly becoming a soft point of white light once more. 'Her training will begin tomorrow. Bring her to the Vale at mid-day. We will be waiting.'

AS Archana's presence faded from the room, Kailia smiled. 'Be well, my friend,' she sent, and stood, leaving her sewing on her stool and going to gather up her daughters. It was nearly time for evening court, and they must all appear as always, despite the dull pain that was growing in her heart.