AN: ~big grin and a happy dance~ 50 reviews!! You guys are the
best!!! Arigatou!! I'm having fun with this story, and I hope you guys are
too ^_^ And ooooo, big things happen in this chapter! Well.one or two big
things, and other big things are set in motion.finally ^^"
Kohuei- Wow, you save my chapters? I feel honored ^_^ And you reviewed twice ~sniffle~ Arigatou!!!
Megumi- oo oo oo, that's the book!! I feel relieved that I know the title now..^^
June Mermaid- Thankees, I couldn't resist good WAFF....not many otaku can ~_^
Rose awoke with a start, eyes adjusting to the light of the cave once more. Glancing at Thayanna, she felt an incredible heat come to her cheeks. 'I can't believe that I actually did that.' Thayanna chuckled, and Rose did a double take.
" Thayanna.that was you, wasn't it? You were the one that brought me here and back, right?" The dam nodded, closing her eyes, rumbling deep in her chest.
'Yes. I'm sorry for doing that to you at such a young age, but I couldn't very well let you die, and you couldn't stay here, either.' Rose nodded, not really angry with her anyway.
" But.why was coming here so important? I mean, couldn't you have just brought me to a safe place on the Mystic Moon?" Thayanna shook her head, rising to her feet.
' There is something else that you must learn, child.' Rose stood, following Thayanna again as they set to walking deeper into the ruins.
' Now, how to begin. Child.you were born here.' She nearly fell over.
" What? You mean, I was born on Gaia???" Thayanna nodded, turning a corner. Rose wrapped her wings tight around her, blood racing. 'No way, no way, no way, no way.'
' And what's more, you were born HERE. Child.you do not know this yet, but you are Rose Arethiana, 29th Royal Princess of the Arethians, Heir to the Throne of Vargain and Aranor, Daughter of the Goddess Charganya.' This time, Rose DID fall over. She couldn't have heard Thayanna right.but the dreams.and Miguel said that she was prettier than Aranor.and, and, and.
" Oh. My. God. Me, a princess?? No WAY!!" Rose rubbed her forehead, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. Thayanna chuckled, nudging her up, pushing her into a large room. Looking around, Rose gasped. 'The throne room.' It was the only room in the ruins that was intact after all these years. The stone was slowly starting to crumble, and everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. At the end of the room, two elegant thrones sat, carved out of wood and set with jewels. The cushions were free from holes, and they looked brand new. Rose cast another glance at Thayanna.
" Wait, something doesn't make sense here. This place is centuries old, and I'm.I'm only 18!! (I can't remember how old she was in the beginning ;-; but it's been about a year so.yeah ^^"") There's no way I'm THAT old!" Rose squashed the wave of panic that was rising in her stomach as she looked around. Flashes of her dreams ran through her head, which only caused to make her more skittish. Thayanna sighed.
' Perhaps I shouldn't have told you everything all at once. As for your question, when the Corrupt Ones and the hybrids attacked, your parents sent you to the Mystic Moon, where you would be safe. There are extreme time differences between the two worlds, as you already know." Rose nodded, glancing back at the two chairs. 'So I'm a princess, huh? Well, that explains some things.I guess.' Thayanna glanced around, then strode over to a wooden chest, untouched by time as the thrones were.
' Now that you know who you are and what you are to become, it is time for your official naming.' Somehow, to Rose, that sounded more like an official 'we're giving you all the responsibility of ruling' sentence than a naming ceremony. She gulped, looking around once more. 'Well.now I know who my family is.or was.' * * * * * * * * * * * *
Folken raised an eyebrow, reading the letter. Since Rose's 'disappearance', he had been acting as leader, along with Dillandu. This letter, however, was sent to him. It was a declaration, but its' nature, he couldn't figure out. 'Well, I have it narrowed down to two possibilities. War, or peace.' He didn't even know who it was that sent it. He had never met a 'Sargon' in his entire life. But still.he glanced back at the name, resisting the urge to shudder.the name sent a nameless fear down his back. There was a legend that mentioned his name somewhere.but it was centuries old, so it had to be somebody different. He paused in his thoughts, looking down at his hands. 'Then again.I'm still around, aren't I? I'm supposed to be dead as well.' Heaving a sigh, he glanced at the letter again. What Sargon was proposing.it would cause another Great War. And he wasn't sure that there was anything anybody could do to stop him. (No, Zaibach is not dead yet 0-0) * * * * * * * * * * * * (Slightly earlier..wow I'm leaving a lot of little notes this time 0-o)
Van grimaced, glancing out the window. 'Do I even dare to admit that I'm going to look for Rose? I pray that the gods at least let me get out of Fanelia this time.' He grumbled mentally, striding purposefully towards the large oak doors. As soon as he touched them, however, a shock ran through his body and he passed out, going into the strangest dream he had had in his entire life. When he was little.that summer where he had so much fun, though he was mostly by himself.now occurred in full detail with a younger Rose accompanying him. And then some details were completely new to him.
He woke up panting, in his room with Allen, Millerna and Merle watching him anxiously.
" I married her?" He spoke out loud, panicking. They shot him strange looks.
" Married who, Lord Van? That must have been a weird dream you were having." He blinked, his surroundings finally registering.
" Why am I in my room?" Allen spoke up.
" You were on your way outside when you fainted all of a sudden. You've been tossing and turning ever since we got you to your room. Did you have a vision or something?" Van rubbed the back of his head.
" Something like that, I suppose." There was no way he was telling them about his dream. He flushed, remembering the last thing he said to Rose. 'I guess my feelings really didn't change much.and according to Merle, neither did hers. I only hope that hasn't changed.'
" All right. I'm going to look for Rose now. Nobody had better stop me this time." Van trailed off, sighing. Millerna chuckled.
" Yes, the fates seem to be delaying you quite a bit, aren't they?" He nodded dejectedly.
" And you should probably check out that rumor of the 'dragon girl' Van. She could need help, or she could be dangerous." He sighed. 'Why do these things always have to happen to me?' Rolling his eyes heavenward, he groaned. Suddenly, a large ball of fur was hugging him.
" Don't worry Lord Van, you'll find her." Van hugged Merle back. 'I hope you're right Merle.I hope you're right.' * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rose was worried. Thayanna and her had come back from the ruins of Arethia only yesterday, and the clan had disturbing news. A new creature was moving through the forest on the other side of the mountain range. It had never been seen before, and if a dragon said that then you knew that it was new. The dragons had hunted one down and killed it, intending to eat it, but they said that it had smelled bad. Rose now looked at the carcass, trying not to wrinkle her nose. 'This must smell even worse to the dragons.why do they insist on keeping it?' Smoak was perched on her shoulder, rubbing the side of his head against the silver and gold circlet resting on her head. She still felt uncomfortable wearing it, but Thayanna said that it was important, so she did.
' It looks odd. It doesn't look..natural.' Rose spoke to all of the dragons, only marginally used to the rumblings and vibrations that seemed to emanate from her stomach when she used their language. Many of the dragons nodded in agreement. The thing had thick shaggy fur, but walked on two legs and had fangs. It wasn't anything like the animal-people she had seen in Fanelia though. It was much too.animalistic. Whatever it was, it frightened her. 'Things like this should not be wandering around in my forest.' She blinked at the thought. 'Since when is the forest mine?' Thayanna nuzzled her, sending her a private thought.
' You are our ruler. We own this territory, and you own us. It is yours.' Rose frowned. She wasn't comfortable with the word own. It made it sound like the dragons were her slaves, and she would never ever want that from them. Sighing, she turned her attention back to the carcass.
'Can anything be divined from it?' Thayanna shook her head.
' We've already tried. Whatever it is, it has no mind of it's own. We were able to guess that at least twenty in number were headed somewhere, using the path through the forest to remain inconspicuous. Other than that, there was nothing.' Rose frowned slightly, staring at the dead thing for a moment, thinking.
' Take it away. Bury it, or burn it if you have to. Just get it out of here. I will not have that thing contaminating our den.' An older drake stepped forward and started shoving it along. They refused to pick it up in their mouths. 'Bad meat,' she repeated in her head. 'Bad meat.either the thing is an undead creature.which is impossible.or it's very, very evil.' And given the feeling of relief she felt when the thing left the cave, she was betting that it fell into the category of very, very evil. And so, it had to be stopped. She gripped her sword handle, which was now strapped to her side. Whoever created these things was going to pay very, very heavily. She would make sure of that. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sargon was busy repeating every curse he had ever known. One of his hybrids had been killed by dragons. 'Trust them to try to ruin my plans without even realizing it,' he grumbled mentally. And they more than likely alerted their precious little princess too. He had felt her crowning. The whole of Gaia probably felt it, the way the ground trembled with energy. 'This planet is too damn joyful.' That would change, eventually. He was lucky he was moving his hybrids to his above ground base in small groups, otherwise more than the dragon clans would become suspicious. He grinned, thinking about the letter he sent to Zaibach. 'That Folken fellow is smart. He should realize what I intend to do. I only pray, for their sake, that they make the right decision.' He cackled, sipping a glass of white liquid, grimacing at the taste. 'Funny, you'd think a person would be used to it by now.'
" The days of bloodshed will be starting soon, my pets. And it will be glorious. And I will make that princess pay for what her people have done to us." Gulping back the rest of the glass, Sargon let loose a feral grin as he felt his strength return to him, and a large pit below him reverberated with the roars of over one hundred hybrids. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rose paced in her sectioned off part of the cave. Ever since she saw that creature, she hadn't felt comfortable. She was restless, but she didn't know where to go, or what to do about it. She let out a whoosh of air, frustrated. For a moment, she considered ramming her fist into the stone, but decided against it. Either it would hurt like.well.you know.or she would wind up bringing down the entire cave. Rose flared her wings, stalking out of the cave. Smoak was there immediately, hopping up to her shoulder.
' Smoak.I'd like to be alone right now. I'm rather restless, and I need some time to think. I'm sorry.' Blinking, the young dragon nodded, hopping back off gracefully.
' Are you ok, highness?' She sighed, closing her eyes briefly. She supposed that was part of the problem. Now that she came back from the ruins, the dragons were either keeping their distance entirely or clinging to her. Not that she blamed them entirely. They had been without rulers for countless years, and now that they had one, they wanted to reacquaint themselves with the noble Arethian.
' I'm fine Smoak. I just need to be alone for a while.' Gently, she scratched him between his eye ridges, eliciting a purr from him. Then, she was off, headed for the entrance of the cave. 'When all else fails.a bath works wonders.'
Coming upon the hot spring a distance from the caves, Rose thought for a moment. It was far enough from the dens that humans could hunt there, although it would be very rare that they would dare venture this far into a wood known for containing dragons. Deciding not to take a risk, she called a long cloak in from her cave and quickly undressed, fashioning a toga out of the cloak around herself. With a sigh of relief, she slipped into the pool, closing her eyes and smiling. 'So.mama.papa.what am I supposed to do now, eh? Those strange creatures, like the ones in my dreams.that means that somebody from your time is still around, or something like that. I don't know if I can do what you did.I'm only 18, I don't know what to do!' She sighed again, opening her eyes and dunking her head under the water to help clear her thoughts. She sent her consciousness out, roaming around the forest. Snapping her head back up, she glanced around the clearing. Something was coming. Straining her ears, Rose could barely make out conversation, but it was getting closer. She held her breath, hoping that they would pass by the clearing. Suddenly, the noise stopped. She let out a sigh of relief, and started to get up.
" Van, I swear somebody is here!" Rose couldn't believe her eyes. Allen had his back turned to her, and apparently Van was close behind. She took a step backwards, but Van crashed through the bushes. And stopped. They stared at each other for a moment, Allen turning around to see what was the matter and freezing. Rose sweatdropped massively as both of their mouths opened and closed wordlessly. Suddenly everything burst into action.
" EEEEEEE!!!!!! PERVERTTTTSSS!!!!!!" She dropped back into the hot spring, screaming, hoping to scare them off. At the same time, Allen and Van had turned around and were yelling 'Sorry' at the top of their lungs. Rose hunched deeper into the water, trying to hide her wings. 'Not good, not good, not good!'
" Ma'am, we're so sorry! We didn't know anybody was here, honestly! May we turn around now?" Allen's voice rang out, and Rose blinked. Well, for once, the smooth Knight Calei sounded embarrassed. She nodded, using the motion to alter her voice a little bit.
" Y.yes, you can turn around." She dropped further into the water as they turned around, so that her hair was floating in the water. She had to stifle a giggle though, at the sight of their faces. She hadn't seen them in so long, and to see them looking as shamefaced as they did.she wished she had a camera. Then she froze again. The circlet!! It was lying in the pile with her clothes! Not good, not good!
" Miss.are you alright? It's very deep into the forest around here, and dragons live everywhere.would you like us to escort you back to our country, Fanelia?" Rose sweatdropped again. Uh-oh. Raising a hand out of the water, she twirled her finger around in the air. Taking the hint, they turned around again. She climbed out of the pool, quickly getting dressed and shaking out her hair. Rose then placed the circlet on her hair and tucked her wings close to her body. No sense in trying to hide them, anyway.
" I'm fine, thank you gentleman." They turned, and she narrowed her eyes quickly, assuming a look that she had seen in a movie at home. She snickered mentally. 'Princess Mononoke.seems appropriate, given the situation.' They both took a step back, hands going for their swords. She rolled her eyes, sighing.
" Relax boys, I'm not going to attack you. From the rumors I've heard those hunters made me out to be a real killer, hm?" Van stepped forward.
" Was it you that ordered the dragons to attack my country?" At this, she burst out laughing.
" Hardly, young king. I wasn't even aware that they had gone into the village. As for an attack, I believe all they did was take some clothes, did they not? They didn't kill or injure anybody, surely?" That stopped him in his tracks, and he glanced at her outfit, coloring slightly.
" They got those clothes for you, right?" Rose shrugged, flicking her hair back.
" It would appears so, wouldn't it? Don't worry, I gave them a bit of a scolding for not telling me first. If you want, I'm sure I'd be able to pay you back for them." Allen shrugged, stepping forward, sensing a conflict that was about to arise.
" I'm sure that Van won't mind. After all, clothes can be replaced. And besides, what you said was true, nobody was hurt, only frightened. But, if I may ask you something?" She shrugged.
" You already have, but you can ask another if you wish." Allen blinked, then chuckled lightly.
" Why do you stay with them? I mean, dragons can be dangerous, and they aren't exactly the most friendly of creatures." Rose gave another careless shrug, deciding to put on a bit of a show for them. They had spotted the dragon girl, and obviously her rather human appearance.despite the wings.disappointed them. She sent a brief thought out to Thayanna, who was hunting nearby. She could feel the old dam smirk, and start moving quietly through the trees.
" When I needed to be taken care of, the dragons were the only ones I could trust at the moment. I've been with them for a while, and they have proven to me that they are not the heartless creatures that everybody says they are." She locked eyes with Van, doing her best attempt at a penetrating gaze.
" Besides. Many races are condemned for crimes which they did not commit, and dragons are becoming few and far between. It is not only them that has suffered from myths and legends growing around them." 'Ok, so maybe that was a low blow,' she admitted to herself as she watched him pale, and a muscle in his cheek jumped. She shrugged again, resting one hand on her hip and her other hand lazily on her sword hilt.
" That's odd.I've seen very few swords like that one, miss." Allen spoke softly, and she gave a mental sigh. 'Trust Allen to never forget a sword.'
" And that's no business of yours, Sir Knight." A purple thought echoed in her mind. 'Now?' She smirked slightly, answering out loud.
'Now.' The two men jumped back at her growl, and then drew their swords at Thayanna came into the clearing. The dam looked around, blinking, then turned to Rose.
' I see you have visitors.' Roes flushed a little guiltily.
' Yeah.they kind of snuck up on me.' Thayanna chuckled, and out of the corner of her eyes Rose could see that Van and Allen were more than slightly shocked at the fact that she could talk to Thayanna. She turned to them, picking up the soaked cloak and folding it over her arms. Then she shot a glare at them, turning to Thayanna and climbing onto her back, sitting on her like she would a horse.
" Leave this forest, and don't bother us again. You got that?" Van rushed forward as they turned to go.
" Wait! Please, wait for just a moment!" Sighing, she turned to him, looking down.
" What do you want, boy king?" She almost melted at the look on his face. 'Can't back down.can't run after him.can't fall.fall in..' Ruthlessly, she cut herself off. 'No thank you, not going there.'
" Well.I was wondering, since you probably wander a lot..have you seen a girl around here? She kind of looks like you, but she has dark hair and she's a little less tanned than you." She blinked down at him.
" An name would help." He stammered, looking for all he was worth like a lost kid.
" Her name was Rose." She blinked, eyes widening slightly. She tapped her chin, pretending to think for a moment.
" Yes.I've seen her." She glanced down at him, astonished at the hope she saw in his eyes. She sighed, drawing herself up.
" But I wouldn't look for her. She was upset about something, and her clothing was pretty badly torn up. I'm sure that the girl you're looking for has died." And, in a way, she supposed this was true. Rose wasn't the girl she had been when she came to Gaia the second time. She had gone through a lot of changes, both psychological and physical. Gods, she found out she was a princess! And she didn't really lie to him, seeing as she didn't tell him that ROSE had died.
" With all due respect, I think you're wrong. But thank you anyway. If you need to come to Fanelia, you are always welcome." Rose nodded, giving a brief grin, and then asked Thayanna to take them home.
AN: Sorry for the long wait minna, but I'm starting a Yami no Matsuei fic, and trying to decide how to continue my Artemis one.~pushes fingers together~ I've overloaded myself ~falls over, eyes swirly~ anyway, see you next chapter!
Kohuei- Wow, you save my chapters? I feel honored ^_^ And you reviewed twice ~sniffle~ Arigatou!!!
Megumi- oo oo oo, that's the book!! I feel relieved that I know the title now..^^
June Mermaid- Thankees, I couldn't resist good WAFF....not many otaku can ~_^
Rose awoke with a start, eyes adjusting to the light of the cave once more. Glancing at Thayanna, she felt an incredible heat come to her cheeks. 'I can't believe that I actually did that.' Thayanna chuckled, and Rose did a double take.
" Thayanna.that was you, wasn't it? You were the one that brought me here and back, right?" The dam nodded, closing her eyes, rumbling deep in her chest.
'Yes. I'm sorry for doing that to you at such a young age, but I couldn't very well let you die, and you couldn't stay here, either.' Rose nodded, not really angry with her anyway.
" But.why was coming here so important? I mean, couldn't you have just brought me to a safe place on the Mystic Moon?" Thayanna shook her head, rising to her feet.
' There is something else that you must learn, child.' Rose stood, following Thayanna again as they set to walking deeper into the ruins.
' Now, how to begin. Child.you were born here.' She nearly fell over.
" What? You mean, I was born on Gaia???" Thayanna nodded, turning a corner. Rose wrapped her wings tight around her, blood racing. 'No way, no way, no way, no way.'
' And what's more, you were born HERE. Child.you do not know this yet, but you are Rose Arethiana, 29th Royal Princess of the Arethians, Heir to the Throne of Vargain and Aranor, Daughter of the Goddess Charganya.' This time, Rose DID fall over. She couldn't have heard Thayanna right.but the dreams.and Miguel said that she was prettier than Aranor.and, and, and.
" Oh. My. God. Me, a princess?? No WAY!!" Rose rubbed her forehead, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. Thayanna chuckled, nudging her up, pushing her into a large room. Looking around, Rose gasped. 'The throne room.' It was the only room in the ruins that was intact after all these years. The stone was slowly starting to crumble, and everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. At the end of the room, two elegant thrones sat, carved out of wood and set with jewels. The cushions were free from holes, and they looked brand new. Rose cast another glance at Thayanna.
" Wait, something doesn't make sense here. This place is centuries old, and I'm.I'm only 18!! (I can't remember how old she was in the beginning ;-; but it's been about a year so.yeah ^^"") There's no way I'm THAT old!" Rose squashed the wave of panic that was rising in her stomach as she looked around. Flashes of her dreams ran through her head, which only caused to make her more skittish. Thayanna sighed.
' Perhaps I shouldn't have told you everything all at once. As for your question, when the Corrupt Ones and the hybrids attacked, your parents sent you to the Mystic Moon, where you would be safe. There are extreme time differences between the two worlds, as you already know." Rose nodded, glancing back at the two chairs. 'So I'm a princess, huh? Well, that explains some things.I guess.' Thayanna glanced around, then strode over to a wooden chest, untouched by time as the thrones were.
' Now that you know who you are and what you are to become, it is time for your official naming.' Somehow, to Rose, that sounded more like an official 'we're giving you all the responsibility of ruling' sentence than a naming ceremony. She gulped, looking around once more. 'Well.now I know who my family is.or was.' * * * * * * * * * * * *
Folken raised an eyebrow, reading the letter. Since Rose's 'disappearance', he had been acting as leader, along with Dillandu. This letter, however, was sent to him. It was a declaration, but its' nature, he couldn't figure out. 'Well, I have it narrowed down to two possibilities. War, or peace.' He didn't even know who it was that sent it. He had never met a 'Sargon' in his entire life. But still.he glanced back at the name, resisting the urge to shudder.the name sent a nameless fear down his back. There was a legend that mentioned his name somewhere.but it was centuries old, so it had to be somebody different. He paused in his thoughts, looking down at his hands. 'Then again.I'm still around, aren't I? I'm supposed to be dead as well.' Heaving a sigh, he glanced at the letter again. What Sargon was proposing.it would cause another Great War. And he wasn't sure that there was anything anybody could do to stop him. (No, Zaibach is not dead yet 0-0) * * * * * * * * * * * * (Slightly earlier..wow I'm leaving a lot of little notes this time 0-o)
Van grimaced, glancing out the window. 'Do I even dare to admit that I'm going to look for Rose? I pray that the gods at least let me get out of Fanelia this time.' He grumbled mentally, striding purposefully towards the large oak doors. As soon as he touched them, however, a shock ran through his body and he passed out, going into the strangest dream he had had in his entire life. When he was little.that summer where he had so much fun, though he was mostly by himself.now occurred in full detail with a younger Rose accompanying him. And then some details were completely new to him.
He woke up panting, in his room with Allen, Millerna and Merle watching him anxiously.
" I married her?" He spoke out loud, panicking. They shot him strange looks.
" Married who, Lord Van? That must have been a weird dream you were having." He blinked, his surroundings finally registering.
" Why am I in my room?" Allen spoke up.
" You were on your way outside when you fainted all of a sudden. You've been tossing and turning ever since we got you to your room. Did you have a vision or something?" Van rubbed the back of his head.
" Something like that, I suppose." There was no way he was telling them about his dream. He flushed, remembering the last thing he said to Rose. 'I guess my feelings really didn't change much.and according to Merle, neither did hers. I only hope that hasn't changed.'
" All right. I'm going to look for Rose now. Nobody had better stop me this time." Van trailed off, sighing. Millerna chuckled.
" Yes, the fates seem to be delaying you quite a bit, aren't they?" He nodded dejectedly.
" And you should probably check out that rumor of the 'dragon girl' Van. She could need help, or she could be dangerous." He sighed. 'Why do these things always have to happen to me?' Rolling his eyes heavenward, he groaned. Suddenly, a large ball of fur was hugging him.
" Don't worry Lord Van, you'll find her." Van hugged Merle back. 'I hope you're right Merle.I hope you're right.' * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rose was worried. Thayanna and her had come back from the ruins of Arethia only yesterday, and the clan had disturbing news. A new creature was moving through the forest on the other side of the mountain range. It had never been seen before, and if a dragon said that then you knew that it was new. The dragons had hunted one down and killed it, intending to eat it, but they said that it had smelled bad. Rose now looked at the carcass, trying not to wrinkle her nose. 'This must smell even worse to the dragons.why do they insist on keeping it?' Smoak was perched on her shoulder, rubbing the side of his head against the silver and gold circlet resting on her head. She still felt uncomfortable wearing it, but Thayanna said that it was important, so she did.
' It looks odd. It doesn't look..natural.' Rose spoke to all of the dragons, only marginally used to the rumblings and vibrations that seemed to emanate from her stomach when she used their language. Many of the dragons nodded in agreement. The thing had thick shaggy fur, but walked on two legs and had fangs. It wasn't anything like the animal-people she had seen in Fanelia though. It was much too.animalistic. Whatever it was, it frightened her. 'Things like this should not be wandering around in my forest.' She blinked at the thought. 'Since when is the forest mine?' Thayanna nuzzled her, sending her a private thought.
' You are our ruler. We own this territory, and you own us. It is yours.' Rose frowned. She wasn't comfortable with the word own. It made it sound like the dragons were her slaves, and she would never ever want that from them. Sighing, she turned her attention back to the carcass.
'Can anything be divined from it?' Thayanna shook her head.
' We've already tried. Whatever it is, it has no mind of it's own. We were able to guess that at least twenty in number were headed somewhere, using the path through the forest to remain inconspicuous. Other than that, there was nothing.' Rose frowned slightly, staring at the dead thing for a moment, thinking.
' Take it away. Bury it, or burn it if you have to. Just get it out of here. I will not have that thing contaminating our den.' An older drake stepped forward and started shoving it along. They refused to pick it up in their mouths. 'Bad meat,' she repeated in her head. 'Bad meat.either the thing is an undead creature.which is impossible.or it's very, very evil.' And given the feeling of relief she felt when the thing left the cave, she was betting that it fell into the category of very, very evil. And so, it had to be stopped. She gripped her sword handle, which was now strapped to her side. Whoever created these things was going to pay very, very heavily. She would make sure of that. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sargon was busy repeating every curse he had ever known. One of his hybrids had been killed by dragons. 'Trust them to try to ruin my plans without even realizing it,' he grumbled mentally. And they more than likely alerted their precious little princess too. He had felt her crowning. The whole of Gaia probably felt it, the way the ground trembled with energy. 'This planet is too damn joyful.' That would change, eventually. He was lucky he was moving his hybrids to his above ground base in small groups, otherwise more than the dragon clans would become suspicious. He grinned, thinking about the letter he sent to Zaibach. 'That Folken fellow is smart. He should realize what I intend to do. I only pray, for their sake, that they make the right decision.' He cackled, sipping a glass of white liquid, grimacing at the taste. 'Funny, you'd think a person would be used to it by now.'
" The days of bloodshed will be starting soon, my pets. And it will be glorious. And I will make that princess pay for what her people have done to us." Gulping back the rest of the glass, Sargon let loose a feral grin as he felt his strength return to him, and a large pit below him reverberated with the roars of over one hundred hybrids. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rose paced in her sectioned off part of the cave. Ever since she saw that creature, she hadn't felt comfortable. She was restless, but she didn't know where to go, or what to do about it. She let out a whoosh of air, frustrated. For a moment, she considered ramming her fist into the stone, but decided against it. Either it would hurt like.well.you know.or she would wind up bringing down the entire cave. Rose flared her wings, stalking out of the cave. Smoak was there immediately, hopping up to her shoulder.
' Smoak.I'd like to be alone right now. I'm rather restless, and I need some time to think. I'm sorry.' Blinking, the young dragon nodded, hopping back off gracefully.
' Are you ok, highness?' She sighed, closing her eyes briefly. She supposed that was part of the problem. Now that she came back from the ruins, the dragons were either keeping their distance entirely or clinging to her. Not that she blamed them entirely. They had been without rulers for countless years, and now that they had one, they wanted to reacquaint themselves with the noble Arethian.
' I'm fine Smoak. I just need to be alone for a while.' Gently, she scratched him between his eye ridges, eliciting a purr from him. Then, she was off, headed for the entrance of the cave. 'When all else fails.a bath works wonders.'
Coming upon the hot spring a distance from the caves, Rose thought for a moment. It was far enough from the dens that humans could hunt there, although it would be very rare that they would dare venture this far into a wood known for containing dragons. Deciding not to take a risk, she called a long cloak in from her cave and quickly undressed, fashioning a toga out of the cloak around herself. With a sigh of relief, she slipped into the pool, closing her eyes and smiling. 'So.mama.papa.what am I supposed to do now, eh? Those strange creatures, like the ones in my dreams.that means that somebody from your time is still around, or something like that. I don't know if I can do what you did.I'm only 18, I don't know what to do!' She sighed again, opening her eyes and dunking her head under the water to help clear her thoughts. She sent her consciousness out, roaming around the forest. Snapping her head back up, she glanced around the clearing. Something was coming. Straining her ears, Rose could barely make out conversation, but it was getting closer. She held her breath, hoping that they would pass by the clearing. Suddenly, the noise stopped. She let out a sigh of relief, and started to get up.
" Van, I swear somebody is here!" Rose couldn't believe her eyes. Allen had his back turned to her, and apparently Van was close behind. She took a step backwards, but Van crashed through the bushes. And stopped. They stared at each other for a moment, Allen turning around to see what was the matter and freezing. Rose sweatdropped massively as both of their mouths opened and closed wordlessly. Suddenly everything burst into action.
" EEEEEEE!!!!!! PERVERTTTTSSS!!!!!!" She dropped back into the hot spring, screaming, hoping to scare them off. At the same time, Allen and Van had turned around and were yelling 'Sorry' at the top of their lungs. Rose hunched deeper into the water, trying to hide her wings. 'Not good, not good, not good!'
" Ma'am, we're so sorry! We didn't know anybody was here, honestly! May we turn around now?" Allen's voice rang out, and Rose blinked. Well, for once, the smooth Knight Calei sounded embarrassed. She nodded, using the motion to alter her voice a little bit.
" Y.yes, you can turn around." She dropped further into the water as they turned around, so that her hair was floating in the water. She had to stifle a giggle though, at the sight of their faces. She hadn't seen them in so long, and to see them looking as shamefaced as they did.she wished she had a camera. Then she froze again. The circlet!! It was lying in the pile with her clothes! Not good, not good!
" Miss.are you alright? It's very deep into the forest around here, and dragons live everywhere.would you like us to escort you back to our country, Fanelia?" Rose sweatdropped again. Uh-oh. Raising a hand out of the water, she twirled her finger around in the air. Taking the hint, they turned around again. She climbed out of the pool, quickly getting dressed and shaking out her hair. Rose then placed the circlet on her hair and tucked her wings close to her body. No sense in trying to hide them, anyway.
" I'm fine, thank you gentleman." They turned, and she narrowed her eyes quickly, assuming a look that she had seen in a movie at home. She snickered mentally. 'Princess Mononoke.seems appropriate, given the situation.' They both took a step back, hands going for their swords. She rolled her eyes, sighing.
" Relax boys, I'm not going to attack you. From the rumors I've heard those hunters made me out to be a real killer, hm?" Van stepped forward.
" Was it you that ordered the dragons to attack my country?" At this, she burst out laughing.
" Hardly, young king. I wasn't even aware that they had gone into the village. As for an attack, I believe all they did was take some clothes, did they not? They didn't kill or injure anybody, surely?" That stopped him in his tracks, and he glanced at her outfit, coloring slightly.
" They got those clothes for you, right?" Rose shrugged, flicking her hair back.
" It would appears so, wouldn't it? Don't worry, I gave them a bit of a scolding for not telling me first. If you want, I'm sure I'd be able to pay you back for them." Allen shrugged, stepping forward, sensing a conflict that was about to arise.
" I'm sure that Van won't mind. After all, clothes can be replaced. And besides, what you said was true, nobody was hurt, only frightened. But, if I may ask you something?" She shrugged.
" You already have, but you can ask another if you wish." Allen blinked, then chuckled lightly.
" Why do you stay with them? I mean, dragons can be dangerous, and they aren't exactly the most friendly of creatures." Rose gave another careless shrug, deciding to put on a bit of a show for them. They had spotted the dragon girl, and obviously her rather human appearance.despite the wings.disappointed them. She sent a brief thought out to Thayanna, who was hunting nearby. She could feel the old dam smirk, and start moving quietly through the trees.
" When I needed to be taken care of, the dragons were the only ones I could trust at the moment. I've been with them for a while, and they have proven to me that they are not the heartless creatures that everybody says they are." She locked eyes with Van, doing her best attempt at a penetrating gaze.
" Besides. Many races are condemned for crimes which they did not commit, and dragons are becoming few and far between. It is not only them that has suffered from myths and legends growing around them." 'Ok, so maybe that was a low blow,' she admitted to herself as she watched him pale, and a muscle in his cheek jumped. She shrugged again, resting one hand on her hip and her other hand lazily on her sword hilt.
" That's odd.I've seen very few swords like that one, miss." Allen spoke softly, and she gave a mental sigh. 'Trust Allen to never forget a sword.'
" And that's no business of yours, Sir Knight." A purple thought echoed in her mind. 'Now?' She smirked slightly, answering out loud.
'Now.' The two men jumped back at her growl, and then drew their swords at Thayanna came into the clearing. The dam looked around, blinking, then turned to Rose.
' I see you have visitors.' Roes flushed a little guiltily.
' Yeah.they kind of snuck up on me.' Thayanna chuckled, and out of the corner of her eyes Rose could see that Van and Allen were more than slightly shocked at the fact that she could talk to Thayanna. She turned to them, picking up the soaked cloak and folding it over her arms. Then she shot a glare at them, turning to Thayanna and climbing onto her back, sitting on her like she would a horse.
" Leave this forest, and don't bother us again. You got that?" Van rushed forward as they turned to go.
" Wait! Please, wait for just a moment!" Sighing, she turned to him, looking down.
" What do you want, boy king?" She almost melted at the look on his face. 'Can't back down.can't run after him.can't fall.fall in..' Ruthlessly, she cut herself off. 'No thank you, not going there.'
" Well.I was wondering, since you probably wander a lot..have you seen a girl around here? She kind of looks like you, but she has dark hair and she's a little less tanned than you." She blinked down at him.
" An name would help." He stammered, looking for all he was worth like a lost kid.
" Her name was Rose." She blinked, eyes widening slightly. She tapped her chin, pretending to think for a moment.
" Yes.I've seen her." She glanced down at him, astonished at the hope she saw in his eyes. She sighed, drawing herself up.
" But I wouldn't look for her. She was upset about something, and her clothing was pretty badly torn up. I'm sure that the girl you're looking for has died." And, in a way, she supposed this was true. Rose wasn't the girl she had been when she came to Gaia the second time. She had gone through a lot of changes, both psychological and physical. Gods, she found out she was a princess! And she didn't really lie to him, seeing as she didn't tell him that ROSE had died.
" With all due respect, I think you're wrong. But thank you anyway. If you need to come to Fanelia, you are always welcome." Rose nodded, giving a brief grin, and then asked Thayanna to take them home.
AN: Sorry for the long wait minna, but I'm starting a Yami no Matsuei fic, and trying to decide how to continue my Artemis one.~pushes fingers together~ I've overloaded myself ~falls over, eyes swirly~ anyway, see you next chapter!