To tell you the truth, being a hoshimi of the royal court of the Velian
Empire is probably one of the most dangerous and heartbreaking jobs you can
have whilst still serving the empire. My examples come from the hoshimi in
the court of Lord and Lady Ashura, the stargazer Kuyo and the water-mirror
mistress Hanayana. Both great at their particular skill, both loyal and
both meeting an end too early in life for comfort.
Kuyo is thought to be the greatest of Velian hoshimi, or stargazers, in history. Using the path of the stars she was able to predict every event in history to a point where you would have thought she had seen them herself. The western attacks of the demon clans, the northern war against the Monoke tribe, the raise of Lord Taishakuten, and the fall of the empire and it's Tentei to Taishakuten. Kuyo refused to serve Taishakuten, keeping her last prophecy in silence within her cell. She had escaped, eventually, but she only had time to reveal that prophecy to Yasha-ou before she met her end.
Kuyo was only twenty-two years old at the time.
Hanayana lived but a bit longer, because she agreed to use her talents to serve Lord Taishakuten. Her skill was not in stargazing but using the water mirror- a device that would allow a talented hoshimi to see the future, but only just. But Hanayana wasn't a true hoshimi- she had once been Kuyo's sister, a plain and simple girl with not talent what-so-ever in stargazing. Jealous of her sister, Hanayana burned out her own eyes in order to gain sight through being a hoshimi.
Hanayana was one of the many who fell to Lady Ashura's blade, at the not so innocent age of twenty-five.
I stand here, on the brink of the ocean watching the sun settle itself to sleep behind the white-crested sea. The sweet aroma that was Vela's seas meeting my senses. The sea birds shriek, spreading their four wings to catch the last warm thermal from the water as they fly back to their nests upon the land, beaks filled with fish of a plentiful number. The breeze picks up, sending my blonde curls up into the wind and slapping around my face. My robes blow out behind my saffron tresses, white and gold meeting for the briefest of moments before spring away in their own little dance.
If you do not know me, my name is officially Verina Le Dark, or that is what it is for the courts. Verina means light among mortals. Dark is my family name, referring to the darkness of sin. Thus, my name truthfully means, a Light among the Darkness of Sin. My friends and family have grown accustom to calling me Lena.
I am twenty-three years old, very young for a Velian. My father is Lord Leon Manseti, Lord and ruler of the planet Orlando in the Velian Royal Empire. But now, due to the disappearance of Lord Emesto of Vela, he is Lord Manseti of Vela. Temporarily anyways.
Meaning, I am Vela's new princess.
That was the reason I changed my family name to my mother maiden 'Dark'. I did not need anymore publicity; I have had enough of that at home as it was. But still, reporters and journalists found it amusing to follow me everywhere, and a few had even found my most secret of hiding spots here on Vela. To think creatures as dishonorable as that were actually Velian. It was shameful.
~One swept by the wind and Sea~
I turned quickly, knowing she had come. Andia, Vela's actual princess; but she was so much more than that. Her raven hair caught the wind in its grip, riding out the breeze before settling perfectly straight at that thin waist and those well formed hips. Today her body was effectively hidden by a silver tunic and a black cape that draped from her shoulders. And her eyes, how could I forget. The purest form of gold, tempted with flames that spun in the very center.
"Lena." She always addressed me as simply as that, making my body ache to hear such lack of emotions. Oh the times I dreamed of her, moaning at that name as I were to prove my love to my princess. But alas, those were only dreams.
~One striving just to be~
I went to her side, nodding- equal to equal- to her. I knew she did not like much flattery, and proceeded to get right to the point of things without hassle, so bowing or kneeling to her would have no effect. At least, not a good one. "How have the fates found you this eve?" I asked, completing the traditional greeting.
But to my surprise, she did not complete her own part. Instead those golden eyes settled on the sun set, and I too fallowed her gaze to the striking swirl of colors as the three moons rose past the setting sun. We stood there for minutes; eyes trained on the astounding sight until at last, Andia did speak.
"I have heard the strangest of rumors among the courts as of late." I turned my eyes to her now, surprised. Andia usually did not care much for court affairs- she was a warrior of the court after all, and found such things a bore compared to the rush of the battle field. "It seems that I have an admirer of the most extraordinary sort."
A shiver ran down my spine, and suddenly a caught the insight of which she was speaking. Andia knew. I could tell from the fact her eyes would not meet mine, and the fact she had not turned and let me see one of her rare smiles as she laugh about whom it was. The way her emotional mask kept its roots, the way she held herself made me ready to run, for this warrior's wrath was not one I would wish to face. Call me a coward, but I was smart enough to know to stay out of Andia's path.
~Both of true and share bloods~
"Oh, who is it?" I asked, hearing my voice shaking as I asked just in cast. Then those eyes of gold did turn to me, focusing those depths upon me as my breath froze within its place inside my chest, and my eyes widened. No doubt, she knew. "Do not play games with me, Lena." Was all she said, all that was needed to be.
Was she angry, upset because she would never be able to look upon me as a friend anymore? My heart sunk at these thoughts, though it was raised by a hope, a hope I deeply prayed was not false.
Her entire body turned to face me, as her glorious image filled my sight. I had no warning for what happened next, as I found a hand on the back of my head and the fear of having Andia snap my neck growing- her temper was unpredictable. But then those sweet little lips I had dreamed about for years now were pressed against mine, the same silky smooth feeling to them that I imagined. I eagerly got over my initial shock and returned the kiss, allowing my tongue to beg her lips for more, but the princess held to her teasing.
And then when it was over, I felt those sweet lips depart mine, and the warm arms that had embraced me gone. I opened my eyes, not realizing I had closed them, and of course my princess was already gone without leaving a single hint that it wasn't a dream but the tingling feeling upon my lips, and the pounding of my heart.
~And from the Light, the Darkness Floods~
Andia's POV
I waited for Lena within my bedroom chambers, knowing it would not take the blonde future-hoshimi very long to come running. How did I know she would become a hoshimi, one of the many prophets of the royal court? Because of whom I was. Because of what I was.
I had to admit to myself that I probably should have taken Lena to another room, for my own was a bit gloomy for the plans I had in store for the blonde. Murals and paintings of the one who's name I had hung on the wall, the Velian Goddess of Destruction and all the horrible deeds she had committed before her fall to Colonim like burning memories on the stone confinements of my domain. Then again, the true was I had not stolen her name. Andia had been mine all along.
I heard the door creak open, and hesitant footsteps sneak past the hiding spot I had taken up in the shadows by the door. I allowed Lena to stumble her way into the poorly lit main chamber, the candles flickering with the breeze she brought with her. I snuck up behind her, my footsteps silenced by the plush carpeting as I playfully pounced upon her. We ended our tumble on the floor, me straddling her hips as I brought my lips down to steal another kiss from the young blonde.
A moan erupted from Lena's throat as our tongues sparred ruthlessly, fighting for dominance as we played another game of wrestling match, this time me losing to her. Lena leaned over on top of me, her body painfully obvious against mine as the fire of ecstasy spread itself to every nerve ending in my body. Not even the battle field brought this out on me, and I was all too eager to continue.
And from the looks of it, neither was Lena so I quickly began to finish what I had started.
Lena's POV Our loving making bout lasted hours on end as three times we admitted our love for each other not through words, but the simple joining of flesh. And as we collapsed once more onto the silken black and red sheets of Andia's bed, I gathered the youth of my love in my arms. I was actually older than Andia, but four or five years, and she by law was not allowed to have any sort of 'mature interaction' with anyone as of yet. Not much we could do about it now.
And even with the cold façade she held so often, I knew she was still a child from within as she snuggled up next to me for warmth as her breaths evened to those of sleep. I stayed awake a little longer, fiddling with the ends of her silky tresses of raven black as sleep dulled on me. I dawned to me that mother expected me in court tomorrow morning. Oh well, I have never been on time for the court meetings, and I wasn't about to start now.
"Lena?" I looked down at the figure curled up upon my exposed chest, meeting a pair of golden eyes and the expression of a serious yet curious child that seemed to fit Andia's mature features. "Do you believe that you can change the stars?" A simple question and I knew the actual meaning behind it. To a Velian, to change the stars was the change the fate that is set for you.
An impossible task, thus why it was related to changing the path of a star.
"Only the gods themselves can change fate, my princess. But no one like you nor I could do such a thing." The look on her face brought a sharp stab to my heart. Disappointment, sorrow, pain. I lifted her chin, planting a small kiss upon my princess' lips and then her forehead. "Why do you ask?"
Andia did not answer at first, her eyes refusing to meet mine until she settled down once more with her eyelids closed shut over the golden surfaces. "I am going to commit a sin, to bring the goddess of Destruction back." Her voice was silent, broken as the muffled sound of unshed tears reached my ears. "I can feel her.the real Andia, gaining power inside of me. She.she wants to end this battle of hers, the final battle against her and Colonim. And I cannot stop her."
"Oh, Andia." I stroked my princess' head, feeling fear close a fist around my heart. My princess, my dearest, my koi. My Andia, becoming the angel Goddess of Destruction? And then I understood the meaning behind her revelation, the one favor she was asking by finally opening her heart to me. "My love, do not ask me to do this."
Her hands tightened around my upper arms, her golden eyes filled with a desperate plead gazing into mine. "You must, Lena! I cannot live, knowing I am to hurt all those dear to me. To know I might hurt you."
I made no promises to her that night, besides the fact I loved her and always would. She took my answer well enough, settling back to sleep. When the time came, I slid from her grasp to my clothing items that had been discarded hours ago. After pulling the last of my robes one, I drew something from deep within an inner pocket, one of easy reach, and stood over my princess, watching my lover sleep.
The knife blade flashed in the light of the remaining candle as it went plummeting down.
As I said, being a hoshimi of the Velian Royal court has never been easy. There are certain tasks you are suppose to complete, people you are expected to ally yourself with. And emotions, of any sort, are strictly monitored and control to protect the people you serve. Love is one of the many.
I glanced out at the sea, watching the sun rise past the horizon to grace the land with crimson light. My robes, violet with old blood, with Velian blood, whip past me furiously as I surrender myself to the sea.
Kuyo is thought to be the greatest of Velian hoshimi, or stargazers, in history. Using the path of the stars she was able to predict every event in history to a point where you would have thought she had seen them herself. The western attacks of the demon clans, the northern war against the Monoke tribe, the raise of Lord Taishakuten, and the fall of the empire and it's Tentei to Taishakuten. Kuyo refused to serve Taishakuten, keeping her last prophecy in silence within her cell. She had escaped, eventually, but she only had time to reveal that prophecy to Yasha-ou before she met her end.
Kuyo was only twenty-two years old at the time.
Hanayana lived but a bit longer, because she agreed to use her talents to serve Lord Taishakuten. Her skill was not in stargazing but using the water mirror- a device that would allow a talented hoshimi to see the future, but only just. But Hanayana wasn't a true hoshimi- she had once been Kuyo's sister, a plain and simple girl with not talent what-so-ever in stargazing. Jealous of her sister, Hanayana burned out her own eyes in order to gain sight through being a hoshimi.
Hanayana was one of the many who fell to Lady Ashura's blade, at the not so innocent age of twenty-five.
I stand here, on the brink of the ocean watching the sun settle itself to sleep behind the white-crested sea. The sweet aroma that was Vela's seas meeting my senses. The sea birds shriek, spreading their four wings to catch the last warm thermal from the water as they fly back to their nests upon the land, beaks filled with fish of a plentiful number. The breeze picks up, sending my blonde curls up into the wind and slapping around my face. My robes blow out behind my saffron tresses, white and gold meeting for the briefest of moments before spring away in their own little dance.
If you do not know me, my name is officially Verina Le Dark, or that is what it is for the courts. Verina means light among mortals. Dark is my family name, referring to the darkness of sin. Thus, my name truthfully means, a Light among the Darkness of Sin. My friends and family have grown accustom to calling me Lena.
I am twenty-three years old, very young for a Velian. My father is Lord Leon Manseti, Lord and ruler of the planet Orlando in the Velian Royal Empire. But now, due to the disappearance of Lord Emesto of Vela, he is Lord Manseti of Vela. Temporarily anyways.
Meaning, I am Vela's new princess.
That was the reason I changed my family name to my mother maiden 'Dark'. I did not need anymore publicity; I have had enough of that at home as it was. But still, reporters and journalists found it amusing to follow me everywhere, and a few had even found my most secret of hiding spots here on Vela. To think creatures as dishonorable as that were actually Velian. It was shameful.
~One swept by the wind and Sea~
I turned quickly, knowing she had come. Andia, Vela's actual princess; but she was so much more than that. Her raven hair caught the wind in its grip, riding out the breeze before settling perfectly straight at that thin waist and those well formed hips. Today her body was effectively hidden by a silver tunic and a black cape that draped from her shoulders. And her eyes, how could I forget. The purest form of gold, tempted with flames that spun in the very center.
"Lena." She always addressed me as simply as that, making my body ache to hear such lack of emotions. Oh the times I dreamed of her, moaning at that name as I were to prove my love to my princess. But alas, those were only dreams.
~One striving just to be~
I went to her side, nodding- equal to equal- to her. I knew she did not like much flattery, and proceeded to get right to the point of things without hassle, so bowing or kneeling to her would have no effect. At least, not a good one. "How have the fates found you this eve?" I asked, completing the traditional greeting.
But to my surprise, she did not complete her own part. Instead those golden eyes settled on the sun set, and I too fallowed her gaze to the striking swirl of colors as the three moons rose past the setting sun. We stood there for minutes; eyes trained on the astounding sight until at last, Andia did speak.
"I have heard the strangest of rumors among the courts as of late." I turned my eyes to her now, surprised. Andia usually did not care much for court affairs- she was a warrior of the court after all, and found such things a bore compared to the rush of the battle field. "It seems that I have an admirer of the most extraordinary sort."
A shiver ran down my spine, and suddenly a caught the insight of which she was speaking. Andia knew. I could tell from the fact her eyes would not meet mine, and the fact she had not turned and let me see one of her rare smiles as she laugh about whom it was. The way her emotional mask kept its roots, the way she held herself made me ready to run, for this warrior's wrath was not one I would wish to face. Call me a coward, but I was smart enough to know to stay out of Andia's path.
~Both of true and share bloods~
"Oh, who is it?" I asked, hearing my voice shaking as I asked just in cast. Then those eyes of gold did turn to me, focusing those depths upon me as my breath froze within its place inside my chest, and my eyes widened. No doubt, she knew. "Do not play games with me, Lena." Was all she said, all that was needed to be.
Was she angry, upset because she would never be able to look upon me as a friend anymore? My heart sunk at these thoughts, though it was raised by a hope, a hope I deeply prayed was not false.
Her entire body turned to face me, as her glorious image filled my sight. I had no warning for what happened next, as I found a hand on the back of my head and the fear of having Andia snap my neck growing- her temper was unpredictable. But then those sweet little lips I had dreamed about for years now were pressed against mine, the same silky smooth feeling to them that I imagined. I eagerly got over my initial shock and returned the kiss, allowing my tongue to beg her lips for more, but the princess held to her teasing.
And then when it was over, I felt those sweet lips depart mine, and the warm arms that had embraced me gone. I opened my eyes, not realizing I had closed them, and of course my princess was already gone without leaving a single hint that it wasn't a dream but the tingling feeling upon my lips, and the pounding of my heart.
~And from the Light, the Darkness Floods~
Andia's POV
I waited for Lena within my bedroom chambers, knowing it would not take the blonde future-hoshimi very long to come running. How did I know she would become a hoshimi, one of the many prophets of the royal court? Because of whom I was. Because of what I was.
I had to admit to myself that I probably should have taken Lena to another room, for my own was a bit gloomy for the plans I had in store for the blonde. Murals and paintings of the one who's name I had hung on the wall, the Velian Goddess of Destruction and all the horrible deeds she had committed before her fall to Colonim like burning memories on the stone confinements of my domain. Then again, the true was I had not stolen her name. Andia had been mine all along.
I heard the door creak open, and hesitant footsteps sneak past the hiding spot I had taken up in the shadows by the door. I allowed Lena to stumble her way into the poorly lit main chamber, the candles flickering with the breeze she brought with her. I snuck up behind her, my footsteps silenced by the plush carpeting as I playfully pounced upon her. We ended our tumble on the floor, me straddling her hips as I brought my lips down to steal another kiss from the young blonde.
A moan erupted from Lena's throat as our tongues sparred ruthlessly, fighting for dominance as we played another game of wrestling match, this time me losing to her. Lena leaned over on top of me, her body painfully obvious against mine as the fire of ecstasy spread itself to every nerve ending in my body. Not even the battle field brought this out on me, and I was all too eager to continue.
And from the looks of it, neither was Lena so I quickly began to finish what I had started.
Lena's POV Our loving making bout lasted hours on end as three times we admitted our love for each other not through words, but the simple joining of flesh. And as we collapsed once more onto the silken black and red sheets of Andia's bed, I gathered the youth of my love in my arms. I was actually older than Andia, but four or five years, and she by law was not allowed to have any sort of 'mature interaction' with anyone as of yet. Not much we could do about it now.
And even with the cold façade she held so often, I knew she was still a child from within as she snuggled up next to me for warmth as her breaths evened to those of sleep. I stayed awake a little longer, fiddling with the ends of her silky tresses of raven black as sleep dulled on me. I dawned to me that mother expected me in court tomorrow morning. Oh well, I have never been on time for the court meetings, and I wasn't about to start now.
"Lena?" I looked down at the figure curled up upon my exposed chest, meeting a pair of golden eyes and the expression of a serious yet curious child that seemed to fit Andia's mature features. "Do you believe that you can change the stars?" A simple question and I knew the actual meaning behind it. To a Velian, to change the stars was the change the fate that is set for you.
An impossible task, thus why it was related to changing the path of a star.
"Only the gods themselves can change fate, my princess. But no one like you nor I could do such a thing." The look on her face brought a sharp stab to my heart. Disappointment, sorrow, pain. I lifted her chin, planting a small kiss upon my princess' lips and then her forehead. "Why do you ask?"
Andia did not answer at first, her eyes refusing to meet mine until she settled down once more with her eyelids closed shut over the golden surfaces. "I am going to commit a sin, to bring the goddess of Destruction back." Her voice was silent, broken as the muffled sound of unshed tears reached my ears. "I can feel her.the real Andia, gaining power inside of me. She.she wants to end this battle of hers, the final battle against her and Colonim. And I cannot stop her."
"Oh, Andia." I stroked my princess' head, feeling fear close a fist around my heart. My princess, my dearest, my koi. My Andia, becoming the angel Goddess of Destruction? And then I understood the meaning behind her revelation, the one favor she was asking by finally opening her heart to me. "My love, do not ask me to do this."
Her hands tightened around my upper arms, her golden eyes filled with a desperate plead gazing into mine. "You must, Lena! I cannot live, knowing I am to hurt all those dear to me. To know I might hurt you."
I made no promises to her that night, besides the fact I loved her and always would. She took my answer well enough, settling back to sleep. When the time came, I slid from her grasp to my clothing items that had been discarded hours ago. After pulling the last of my robes one, I drew something from deep within an inner pocket, one of easy reach, and stood over my princess, watching my lover sleep.
The knife blade flashed in the light of the remaining candle as it went plummeting down.
As I said, being a hoshimi of the Velian Royal court has never been easy. There are certain tasks you are suppose to complete, people you are expected to ally yourself with. And emotions, of any sort, are strictly monitored and control to protect the people you serve. Love is one of the many.
I glanced out at the sea, watching the sun rise past the horizon to grace the land with crimson light. My robes, violet with old blood, with Velian blood, whip past me furiously as I surrender myself to the sea.