I think the beginning and end of this chapter teeter on the edge of an R rating! You've been warned…

Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun, and I'm sure Camelot would be shocked at what we fanfic writers are doing with their characters!

*Sanctuary*

The sun slowly moved across the floor of the little room in the inn, heralding the beginning of a new day. Isaac loved this time of morning. Everything was so peaceful, quiet and unspoiled by the wear of time. A fresh start, a new chance, new possibilities sprawling out before him. That was an even better proposition after the nightmares that had plagued him during his fitful sleep. He'd had many immediately after the storm in Vale, but they'd since become more infrequent. Now they seemed to be coming back in full force, which was particularly odd when everything was going so well. Jenna and Sheba had joined the crew, and they'd discovered what they thought was Lemuria yesterday. Today they would explore to learn more about this place. The villagers were friendly at least, and the inn rates affordable. Everything was fine. Why was he dreaming those old dreams?

The soft, warm body lying beside him shifted a little, curling a leg around his and pulling his thoughts into the present. He idly fingered some of Mia's loose tendrils--they felt like fine silk. There was simply no better way to wake up than by watching that sunrise out the window, feeling her form against his, and hearing only the sound of her breathing. He could lose himself completely in a perfect moment such as this.

"Good morning," Mia said softly.

"Yes it is," he said.

Mia chuckled slightly. "You realize that we have to stop doing this or else we're going to get caught. What would the others say if they found us in such a compromising position?"

"We'd never hear the end of it," said Isaac. "Garet would be teasing me until the sun stops setting." A mischievous grin spread across his face. "They'd never admit it, of course, but I bet they'd be insanely jealous."

"For sure." She rolled over on top of him and kissed him. "I love waking up like this. I wish we could do it every morning."

"I know. So do I." He touched her face with both hands and looked up at those glittering aqua eyes. "You're so beautiful. It's like your eyes draw me into some other world."

Mia smiled. "For someone who doesn't talk much, you sure have a way with words." She laid her head on his chest. Isaac's skin had a sweet, earthy scent like the ground after a rainfall, and she loved to breathe it in. He was running a hand through her hair, and his other arm was keeping her tight to him. She could see their discarded clothes out of the corner of her eye. What had started as a simple goodnight kiss had accidentally escalated into a fit of total passion. These days, now that they were engaged, this kind of thing seemed to happen more often. So far, none of the others had found out about their late-night rendezvous, but if they weren't careful, that might change.

She shut her eyes and lost herself in the soothing, rhythmic motion of his breathing and the steady sound of his heartbeat. He was so warm and his presence so safe. Their love, their desire and devotion for one another, seemed like the answer to all the ills of the world. These moments they shared never lasted long enough to suit either of them. Neither of them had to say a word because they each knew precisely how the other felt. Half asleep in his wonderful aura, she slowly guided her hand down his arm to the hand he had against her lower back and they intertwined their fingers. Bliss. No need to think of anything else besides the feeling of being as one.

"We'd better get going or else someone will find us," Mia finally said.

"Yeah," Isaac agreed, sounding disappointed. He didn't want to leave this spot. He would spend the rest of his life laying here with her if given the chance. "Just a little longer."

She nodded. "All right. Let's hope we aren't pushing our luck."

Just then, as if on cue, there was a knock at the door. "Mia?" came Jenna's voice. "Are you up yet?"

"You locked the door, right?" Isaac whispered in panic. The last thing he needed was for Jenna to find him naked in Mia's bed!

"I'm pretty sure I did…" Mia whispered back. The knob jiggled.

"Hey, why is this door locked?" Jenna asked.

"Uh, I was worried about thieves!" Mia called. "Be right there!" She gathered one of the sheets around her and kicked all of Isaac's clothes underneath the bed, with Isaac himself quickly following. With the coast clear, Mia opened the door.

"Sorry to bother you," said Jenna.

"No problem," Mia said. "I wasn't really asleep. Is something wrong, Jenna?"

"Well, it's sunrise and I can't find Isaac. I went to his room and he wasn't there, and it's still so early! Do you know where he is?"

"I haven't seen him since last night," Mia lied. "He's an early riser, though. He probably went for a walk or something."

Jenna shrugged. "I suppose. I'll wake the others and go look for him. Thanks, Mia."

"Anytime." Mia shut the door and locked it again, heavily sighing in relief. "That was close!"

"Tell me about it!" said Isaac, standing up. He was already half-dressed. "I'd better make an appearance before she gets suspicious." He groped for the rest of his clothes. "This sneaking around keeps getting harder."

"Well at least we aren't on the ship. It's easier when we have our own rooms and don't have to sneak in and out of the captain's quarters."

"Right." He tied his long yellow scarf and kissed her. "I'll see you downstairs in a little bit, OK?"

"OK." She kissed him again several times, not wanting him to leave. It started to build.

"I have to go," Isaac insisted, laughing slightly.

"I know, I know!" Mia said. "I just hate to see you leave!"

"Later, Mia--I promise." One last kiss and he slipped out the door, swiftly shutting it. He needed a bucket of cold water to pour over his head! Mornings should be longer, he decided. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, shoved the inviting thoughts of Mia out of his mind and headed downstairs.

************

"What are we looking for anyway?" Garet asked.

"Some indication of where we are, of course," Ivan replied. "There must be someone around here who's willing to tell us something."

So far, the Adepts had only found a small cluster of buildings right by the coast, which is where they had spent the night and docked the ship. The people there had been plenty friendly, but unwilling to answer any questions about where they were. And the word "Lemuria" seemed suspiciously taboo. Unable to gather any concrete information, the group had decided to strike out to find some answers. They were walking down a narrow dirt road with thickly packed trees to the right and a sprawling plain to the left with the ocean visible beyond it. Every road led to somewhere. The air had a chill in it as the late autumn wind swirled around them.

"If this is Lemuria, are we going to have to go all the way back to Tolbi and deliver that stuff to Babi?" Garet continued with his mouth full. He was munching on one of the extra rolls they'd purchased at the inn.

"We did make a promise," Isaac said vaguely. "Let's just see if we can find anything first."

"It would suit me if I never saw that man again," said Sheba. "If you intend to go back to Tolbi, just leave me here."

"You really don't like that Babi guy do you?" Jenna questioned.

"Let's see how much you'd like someone who kept you against your will," Sheba retorted. "I don't see you jumping at the chance to see Saturos again."

"Point taken," Jenna said. "Hey, Garet, don't eat all the food! That's supposed to last all day!"

"Just one more, I swear," Garet promised. "You worry too much, Jenna."

"Only when you're around," she grumbled. "What would you do without the rest of us to keep you in check?"

"Hey, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself," Garet said indignantly. "I'm not the one who got captured by Saturos."

Jenna scowled and punched his arm. "Jerk! You know that wasn't my fault."

"Cut it out, you guys," Ivan begged.

"Were they like this back home in Vale?" Mia asked Isaac.

"Always," Isaac sighed. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. He inwardly wondered when Garet and Jenna would get beyond their childish quibbles and admit how they truly felt about each other. But as he held Mia's hand, he figured that admitting to a love was always harder than it seemed from the outset.

Eventually, the narrow road ended in a half-circle of trees with a large stump in the center. "Now what?" Sheba asked. "There doesn't appear to be another path."

"I cannot permit you to go any further," said a mysterious voice. A man with long blue hair and wild eyes stood at the other end of the clearing. He was physically larger than Garet and held a sword in each of his big hands, ready to strike.

"We don't want any trouble," Ivan said quickly. "We're just seeking information about this place."

"That is not yours to have," the man replied. "Outsiders aren't welcome beyond our port. You must leave now or face the consequences."

"Who the hell are you to be threatening us?" Garet demanded.

"Yeah," Jenna agreed. "Look pal, whoever you are, we're prepared to do whatever it takes to get the clues we need."

"Is that so?" the man asked, lifting one blue eyebrow suspiciously.

"Please," Isaac began. "We mean you no harm. All we want is information. We've been searching for Lemuria for quite some time and we were wondering if this was it."

The man narrowed his eyes, but also looked a little astonished. "Very well." He brandished his weapons. "Then I'm afraid I can't let you leave here alive. No one can take our secrets off our fair isle."

"I think he's serious," said Ivan.

"Puh," Garet scoffed, unimpressed. "He might be big, but we've got him outnumbered, right Isaac?"

Isaac wasn't so sure. If this man was the only one charged with guarding the secrets of this land, he had to be very powerful. And there was an aura of energy around him, suggesting that he might be an Adept. A very experienced Adept.

Sure enough, the man threw open his arms and an onslaught of ice scattered the group members in different directions. The sharp, frozen spears nicked Garet and Jenna and sliced off a few of Mia's flowing hairs. The man immediately cast more rounds of the dangerous projectiles to keeps the others distracted so they couldn't retaliate. It was only after the third round that Ivan was able to focus his power and cast Tempest. The blue-haired warrior, however, seemed unaffected and quickly dispatched Ivan with one of his huge blades.

"Ivan!" his friends cried. Mia was already going to him as fast as she could, trying to dodge the constant waves of icicles. Isaac and Garet moved to strike at their adversary with their swords and Jenna and Sheba were desperately searching for a safe spot to attack from. The man just wouldn't let up. He charged Isaac and Garet and knocked away their weapons. He then lifted his swords as if to kill them when he noticed a blue light out of the corner of his eye.

Mia was holding Ivan's head in her lap as the fairy generated by her Ply power healed his wounds. Upon seeing the technique, the man immediately ceased attacking and went over to her.

"That power," he began, looking down at Mia. "That has to be Ply!"

"Yes," Mia said a bit fearfully.

The man dropped his weapons and got on bended knee before her. "I cannot fight another follower of Mercury. The laws of my people forbid it."

"What about my friends?" Mia asked.

"If they are friends of yours, my lady, I cannot fight them either."

The others sighed in relief. Ivan came around and sat up, with Sheba immediately going to his side.

"Well that's good to hear," said Garet. "You're a lot stronger than I thought."

The man smiled. "I should've sensed your Psynergy, but it's been so long since I've encountered another Mercury Adept in battle I must've forgotten how. My apologies."

"No harm done," said Sheba. "Right, Ivan?"

"Yeah," Ivan replied. "So who are you, stranger?"

"My name is Picard," said the man. "Please forgive my rude greeting. It is my duty to ensure that ordinary people don't discover the secrets of Lemuria."

"So we are in Lemuria!" Jenna exclaimed. "I can't believe we made it!"

"Pleased to meet you, Picard," Isaac said. "I'm Isaac, and these are Garet, Jenna, Ivan, Sheba, and Mia."

"Mia…" Picard trailed. He smiled and kissed her hand. "What a fitting name for such a lovely angel."

Mia's face turned a bright crimson. "Thank you."

Isaac suppressed the jealously that suddenly surged through him. Mercury Adept or no, Mia was his fiancee and he didn't like the idea of anyone else kissing her even if only on her hand. And why had she blushed like that? He thought only he had the ability to make her turn that bright a red!

"Well now that you're here," Picard said, "I may as well show you what you've been searching for. Follow me."

He led them to the dead stump in the center of the clearing and he thrust both of his swords into it. The others watched in amazement as some of the thickly packed yet half-bare trees on the far edge of the clearing moved aside, revealing a hidden pathway.

"Unreal!" Ivan exclaimed. "That's incredible!"

"How'd you do that?" Sheba asked.

"Trade secret," Picard replied with a faint chuckle. "This way."

They walked down the path, the trees closing behind them to keep their secret hidden from the rest of the world. After a short trip through the woods, the Adepts arrived at an interesting village. All of the buildings were made of very ancient looking gray stone, as were all of the streets. Colorful banners flew from the top of each structure and a huge castle loomed above it all. At the heart of the village square sat a large fountain flowing with crystal clear water. Many of the people walking about the streets had blue hair like Picard, and their garments were elaborately embroidered with silver and gold thread. None of them had ever seen such decadence save for their ship, which had also come from Lemuria.

"Welcome to Lemuria Village," said Picard.

"This place is amazing!" Jenna said.

"Fabulous!" said Ivan.

"I've never seen anything so lovely!" Sheba added.

"Wow…" was all Garet managed to say. He was eyeing some of the food for sale in the marketplace, whose smells were wafting towards the group.

"It's wonderful!" said Mia in awe. "Don't you think so, Isaac?"

Isaac nodded, trying to take all of it in. Picard led them through the streets and made sure they noted some points of interest as they passed. The inn, the blacksmith, the various shops--all of it what one would expect in any normal village, but all of it also reeking of a strange and mystical origin. The other citizens looked curiously at the visitors, but none of them seemed the least bit concerned with their presence, most likely because Picard was with them. The group stopped their tour at the fountain, which had caught Isaac's attention earlier. It was quite large, and at its center stood a statue of an elegant female angel that resembled Mia.

"This fountain is supposed to grant good luck to visitors," Picard explained. "The belief is that throwing in coins or other small objects will have special effects."

"Sounds a little like the Tolbi fountain," Garet observed.

"Hey Mia," Sheba began. "That statue in the fountain looks a little like you, don't you think?"

Mia made a face. "I sure don't see it." She looked at the figure more closely. "Well...maybe. Picard, I noticed that many of your villagers have blue hair. Are they Mercury Adepts too?"

"Yes," Picard replied. "Mercury is the founding element of Lemuria. None of us have encountered any Adepts from the outside world in several centuries, particularly members of our own clan. Where do you come from, Mia?"

"A village called Imil in the northern regions. My clan was the guardian of the Mercury Lighthouse."

Picard lifted an eyebrow. "The Mercury Lighthouse you say? Well, that would explain it. Imil must have been founded by the Lemurians who left this place long ago to protect that Lighthouse."

"So Mia's clan was originally from here?" Jenna asked.

"I don't believe it," Mia whispered in surprise. "I'm a descendent of real Lemurians?"

"Wow, Mia, that's wonderful," said Ivan. "To think that you're actually connected to an ancient civilization!"

Mia still seemed flabbergasted. "I don't know what to say. I certainly wasn't expecting to learn anything like this!"

"Don't let it overwhelm you," Picard said kindly, smiling. "Your coming here was fate, Mia. All angels must eventually return to their homeland."

She blushed again, and Isaac's lip visibly twitched. "What do you mean by that, Picard?" he asked, trying not to sound jealous.

Picard laughed slightly. "I'm sorry. 'Angel' is the old word we use for the female members of our clan skilled in healing. It's a rather fitting description for Mia, don't you agree?"

That was certainly true, but Isaac just gave a light shrug so as not to show his inner irritation. Since it was getting late, Picard treated them to dinner at the local inn and set them up with quarters for the night, promising to take them to meet the village leader and explain more about Lemuria tomorrow. After he'd left, the Adepts retired, wishing to be rested for all the discoveries they were bound to make once morning came. Isaac tried not to think about Picard as he readied for bed, since it was completely asinine to believe he posed a threat to his relationship with Mia. After all, Mia wasn't wearing a ring from Picard.

The soft, familiar tap at his door immediately brought about more pleasant thoughts. Mia stealthily crept in, locking the door behind her and smiling broadly. The dim moonlight coming from the window made her glow and also showed the silhouette of the curvy form underneath her white nightgown. Angel indeed.

"Miss me?" she asked.

"Always," Isaac replied. He swept her up and they shared a long kiss. "I'm glad you came."

"Why wouldn't I? I've been looking forward to this all day." She looked into his bright azure eyes. "Is something wrong, Isaac? You were more quiet than usual during dinner tonight."

"No, it's nothing," he said. "Just a little…distracted."

She smiled a bit. "Were you jealous of Picard?"

He colored slightly and his muscled tensed. "What? No way! That's silly!"

Mia kissed him. "His flirting was pretty blatant—you don't need to pretend it didn't bother you. I didn't mean to blush at his comments, but I couldn't help it. Maybe it's because he's another Mercury Adept." She traced her finger along his chest and held his gaze. "But you have nothing to fear from him. His words are kind and flattering, but you're the one I want to be with for the rest of time. I love you, Isaac."

"I know," he said, smiling. "I don't mean to feel jealous. I know it's silly to think anything could come between us after all we've been through."

"Don't worry—I think it's natural to feel a little jealous. I can't say I wouldn't be jealous if another girl flirted with you!"

They both chuckled a little. Isaac marveled at how well she understood his innermost feelings. Mia didn't have the ability to read minds yet she always knew what he needed to hear. And he was pretty sure that he also possessed this ability for her. Soulmates could do that. In the joy and safety of each other's presence, they locked themselves in another long kiss and he carried her to the bed.

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Argh! I am such a hopeless romantic I make myself ill! Um, anyway, I swear that this story won't be that mushy all the time. I just had to lay the groundwork for what happens later on. I'm sure most of you recognized Picard before I named him. I have no idea what his personality is really like, but the temptation to write him into this story was just too great! ^_^ I'd also like to state that anything about Lemuria and such mentioned within this fic is purely conjecture, and I'm sure most of it will be proved incorrect once the Lost Age comes out in the US. That's all for now—I'll get Chapter 3 up as soon as I can!