Disclaimer: I do not own or have any title, interest or right in either
Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon. This fanfiction is not being used for
commercial purposes. I own all other rights (to the extent legally
permissible) in connection with this writing.
A few weeks had passed since Lord Quatre Raberba Winner had departed from the Castle Mensis with his band of Maguanacs. They had taken a large caravan of weapons, armor and supplies with them back to the desert. Even though Wufei was concerned by the Desert Prince's unusual requisition from the King, he tried not to let it bother him. Instead, he focused on his newly established routine with Princess Hotaru.
Wufei had continued to visit the garden early in the morning to meet with the young princess. Sometimes, there would be little spoken between Wufei and Princess Hotaru. But any mutual silence was more comforting, rather than awkward for either of them. Although he would not admit it, he began to look forward to these regular morning visits.
On this particular dreary, early morning, Wufei calmly walked into the gardens and scanned it for any sign of the delicate young princess. She had yet to arrive. But it was not unusual for her to arrive several minutes after his own entrance to the garden. Wufei went to his regular spot behind a cherry tree to wait. After twenty minutes or so, he grew slightly impatient. He pushed himself off the tree and walked up to the center of the garden near the koi pond. His mind was beginning to wonder if he had somehow offended her in any of their earlier conversations. Or perhaps she was in ill health? He began to wrack his brain for possible reasons why the young princess for not coming.
He was so involved in contemplating all the possible reasons for her failure to come, that he did not notice the sun had already broken over the horizon until it was too late.
"Kuso!" Wufei cursed as he realized that he was going to be late for the morning practice. Angry and ashamed at himself, he barreled out of the gardens.
* * * * *
Duo was snickering in amusement at Wufei's expense. Wufei was currently scrubbing the stables that housed the knight's horses. This chore was usually delegated to a young squire or page for training, but it was occasionally assigned to make a point. Lord Milliardo was not happy with Wufei's tardiness for the past few days and decided to make an example of him.
The proud, young knight was now dressed in ragged looking clothing and scouring the floor with a large brush. The horses even seemed to be laughing at him.
Duo was perched casually on one of the walls of the stable, looking over his friend's shoulder.
"You missed a spot, Wufei!" Duo observed, trying to contain his laughter.
"Shut up, Maxwell!" Wufei hollered in irritation. "Don't you have anything better to do?!"
Duo shrugged. "I probably do...but I can't think of anything more FUN to do at this point."
Wufei fumed and angrily continued to scrub the floor. It was lunchtime and the other knights were in the mess hall. Duo had made it a point to quickly eat his lunch and then dropped by to entertain himself. Wufei, however, had not eaten lunch as part of his punishment. Despite the stench of the stables, his stomach growled painfully.
"Go bother Heero!" Wufei suggested angrily, as he moved to the next stall. He still could not believe how horses made such a huge mess.
Duo hopped over to the next stall to continue to watch his friend.
"But Heero is so boring! He hasn't done anything wrong! Not like another friend of mine," Duo stated teasingly. "First you betray your friend by stealing the object of his affection, and then you start coming late to morning practice. What's wrong, Wufei?"
"You're still angry about that tournament?" Wufei demanded incredulously. "I thought I explained the whole damn thing to you!"
"Yeah, yeah," Duo brushed his friend off casually. "As if I really believed you."
"I have no interest in that infuriating onna! And I never will!" Wufei shouted out angrily. "You are a much better match for her, Duo! Both of you are the most annoying people I know!"
"Hmmm...you find her annoying? That must mean you're in love!" Duo laughed at his friend. This was too much fun for the braided youth.
"I...am...not...in...love!" Wufei grunted, slamming down the brush with each word for emphasis.
Duo's eyes widened with feigned shock. "My dear, Wufei, I have never seen you get so emotional about a woman. I really am beginning to doubt your denials!"
Wufei stood up from the stables and turned around to glare dangerously at Duo. "If you have nothing useful to say to me, then please leave...before I decide to use your face to scrub the rest of the stalls!"
"All right, fine!" Duo conceded, hopping off his perch. "But I did have one thing more to tell you!"
Wufei was already on his knees. He looked up in exasperation at the braided youth. "What is it, Maxwell?"
"I probably should forgive you," Duo told him simply and dropped a small sack next to Wufei. The braided youth walked off whistling a happy tune.
Wufei snatched the sack and opened it up. He smiled gratefully when he saw the contents. A small loaf of bread and a bit of cheese was inside. Wufei hungrily munched into the loaf of bread.
Duo was not more than fifteen yards away when he heard Wufei's outraged cry, "MAXWELL!!!!!!!"
"NOW, I forgive you," Duo smirked. He hoped that the loaf of bread he gave his friend was not too old.
* * * * *
The curtains had been closed to ward off the warm, afternoon sunlight from the bedchamber. Nevertheless, a strong fire was burning intently in the fireplace located at the end of the room. But the fire had not been created for warmth.
Princess Hino Rei was kneeling in front of the flames before her. She was used to the warmth of the fire and its proximity did not bother her. Her eyes were shut and her mind focused.
She muttered a quick series of words and was about to withdraw into herself when she heard a rap on her door. Rei cast an irritated glance at the door. She hoped that whoever it was would go away. Once again, she sought to focus on the soul of the flames before her.
"Excuse me!" called out a nervous voice. Rei grimaced slightly when she recognized the voice of Princess Tsukino Usagi. The young princess had been trying to talk with Rei for the past week, but Rei had generally been able to avoid her. Rei picked herself up and decided to get this over with.
Rei pulled open the door and bowed low in front of Princess Usagi.
"Good afternoon, Princess Tsukino Usagi," Rei greeted. "How may I help you?"
"Good afternoon, Princess Hino Rei," the blond princess replied. "Please call me, Usagi. Can I talk with you for a moment?"
Rei nodded and allowed Usagi to walk into the room. The blond princess immediately took notice of the flames burning in the fireplace.
"Are you cold?" Usagi asked in a questioning voice. She peered intently at the flames.
"No, I'm not," Rei responded, fighting to hold back the sense of irritation that was rising up. "I was meditating."
"I see," Usagi said, though by her voice, it was clear that she did not understand the significance of the fire.
"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Rei inquired.
Usagi turned to look at Rei. "I wanted to personally greet you and apologize for my father's actions. I feel bad that you and the other princesses were forced to come here because of some ancient treaty. But my father would not listen to me. I do not want you to feel any obligation to me at all! However, I still hope it is possible that we could become friends."
Rei studied the young princess. Ever since Rei was a child, she had an uncanny ability to read people. She had never been wrong in her judgment about people. Rei saw sincerity in the eyes of the princess, mixed with sadness and loneliness. It was becoming clear to Rei that this young girl did not have many friends, but she sensed it was not Usagi's fault. It was the fault of the title and the circumstances that came with her birth. This was exactly what Rei had been afraid of, and the reason why she avoided the young princesses. Rei did not want to discover that the King's daughter was a genuinely good person. It was much easier to stay angry at the royal family of Luminaea if Rei continued to despise them in ignorance. But it was too late.
"Of course, Usagi," Rei answered the nervous princess.
A genuine smile of happiness and relief spread across the face of the blond princess. Her face suddenly took on an amazing transformation that astounded Rei.
"Thank you!" cried out Usagi happily. She began to bounce up and down excitedly in a somewhat unnerving fashion.
"May I get back to my meditation?" Rei requested politely.
"Sure!" Usagi nodded. "Can I ask what you meditate about?"
Rei shrugged. "A lot of things. Sometimes I reflect upon the day's events. Once in a while, I get a vision of the future."
Usagi's eyes widened. "You can tell fortunes?" she asked in amazement.
Rei nodded. "It's not too difficult, if one properly applies oneself. Would you like me to read your fortune?"
"I would appreciate it very much, if you could," Usagi answered. "I wonder if you can tell me about whoever will be my future husband?"
Rei smiled slightly. "I will see what I can do. But I cannot make you any promises. Stay where you are and do not make any sounds. I will tell you when I am done. Understand?"
Usagi nodded obediently and clasped her hands together.
Rei gracefully swept across the room and kneeled before the dancing flames. She closed off her mind to everything but the swaying reddish fire before her. Once her mind was clear, she murmured a silent chant. Then she let her mind reach out to the flames to see into the future.
She felt darkness and emptiness in her mind. Then, in the distance, there were the sounds of pain and sorrow. The sounds gradually grew louder and became anguished cries of tormented souls. The screams built into a feverish pitch that became almost unbearably painful to the raven-haired princess. A vision had never had struck her so vividly before. She saw the slim figure of Princess Usagi alone in the darkness. A swirling mist danced around her and quietly began to consume her.
Rei forcibly wrenched herself away from the vision and opened her eyes. Her breathing was ragged as she stared into the flames. She dropped her hands to the ground so that she could support herself. By now, the voices had faded away into the darkness, leaving the violet-eyed princess reeling.
Rei looked over her shoulder to see the concerned eyes of Princess Usagi.
"Are you all right, Princess Hino Rei?" Usagi asked worriedly. "I am so sorry for asking you to do this! I did not realize that it would cause you so much pain! Can you forgive me, please?"
Rei shook her head and pulled herself up. "There is no need to apologize, Usagi. This happens once in a while when one seeks to look into the future. I am used to it. And you can call me Rei."
Usagi nodded slowly. "Is there anything I can do?"
"No, I just need some rest," Rei informed her gently. After a moment of reflection, she turned to look at the blond girl. "I really could not see very well into your future. Maybe we can try some other day."
"Thank you, Rei," Usagi said. She quickly added, "You don't have to do this again for me. I am content to know that I have a friend."
The slender young princess let herself quietly out the door. Rei walked up to the door and shut it quietly. Once she was alone, Rei collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion.
It was a very ominous vision. Yet, Rei had no idea what she should do about it.
* * * * *
The cool, refreshing breeze of the night air was a great relief after a rigorous sword training session. Sir Yui Heero was comfortably lying down on the grass with his sword, letting the calm wind relax both his mind and his body. His leg had finally healed enough so that he could actively continue his training. The young knight was comfortably lying on a small mound of grass on the training grounds. Heero lazily stretched out and turned to gaze up at the Moon reflectively.
For some odd reason, the beautiful image of the raven-haired princess had been haunting him ever since he had met her. Heero was not so easily captivated by beautiful women, but there was something special about her that he could not quite put his finger upon. He had not seen her since that time and it troubled him that such a brief encounter could result in his current state of confusion. But it was also obvious that she wanted nothing to do with him.
Heero sighed lightly and picked himself up. He headed back towards the barracks for the knights. There was not much else he could do about his situation.
Suddenly, he heard the sonorous ringing of the bell from atop the central keep. The sound shattered the peace and tranquility of the night. A frown creased the face of the young man. As a knight, in service of the King, he had been trained to recognize this particular sound above all others.
This was the warning bell used in the most gravest of circumstances. Something was terribly wrong in the castle.
Heero exploded into a sprint towards the central keep. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see others running towards the central keep. He drew his sword out of its scabbard and raced through the open gates of the central keep.
During such an alarm, each knight was expected to immediately guard and protect a designated area of the castle. Heero bolted up two flights of stairs until he reached the floor he was responsible for. He carefully moved his way through the darkened hallways while his alert eyes scanned the area.
He neared a suspicious looking room with a partially opened door.
Then he heard a female voice, from within the room, cry out: "NO! STAY AWAY!"
* * * * *
Princess Minako opened the door to her bedchamber and slipped inside. Before she managed to shut the door, the urgent ringing of a loud bell resounded through the central keep. It seemed unusual that a bell would be tolling so persistently this late at night. Something must be wrong, she thought. Minako considered heading back out to investigate.
Then, a soft voice whispered out from deep within the bedchamber. "Princess Minako! It's me!
The young, blond princess spun around in alarm. A tall, slender figure was standing in the shadows near an open window. The figure stepped out of the shadows to let the moonlight reveal a familiar, handsome face.
"Captain Adonis!" Minako exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here? What is the meaning of this?"
"That bell is this castle's alarm. Princess Usagi has just been kidnapped," he informed her in a grave voice. "You are in danger now. Please, let me take you to safety!"
"How do you know all this? Does my father know that you are here?" she demanded.
The young man shook his head sadly. "Princess Minako, we do not have time for this. You will be held responsible for failing to protect Princess Usagi. Your life is now in serious jeopardy!"
Minako shook her head resolutely. "I cannot simply disappear, because our kingdom would fall under suspicion. I shall not abandon my father or our kingdom so easily. Captain Adonis, how do you know that Princess Usagi has been kidnapped?"
"Princess Minako, please come with me! You can be free from all your obligations and you can live just for yourself!" Captain Adonis urged. In a desperate voice, the tall young man cried out, "Princess Minako, please...I love you!"
Minako was stunned by the sudden confession of the captain of her father's guard. She stumbled backward involuntarily.
"Ever since I was a wretched foot soldier, I have always loved you from afar!" he told her in a distant voice. "You...the chosen princess who would be sent off to ensure the safety of our kingdom. A beautiful vision, shining so brightly, but cursed to live as a hostage. I have come to save you from your fate, your highness! But in order to do so, we must leave now!"
Minako studied him carefully. She spoke in a measured voice, "I am not sure what is going on, Captain Adonis. But I cannot endanger our kingdom by leaving, even if it means my own life."
The handsome features of the young man twisted into a sneer. "Of course! That's how you have always been. I have seen you fawn over so many young noblemen, but nothing ever became of it, for you have never been serious about love. You have never been serious about anything that could possibly interfere with your duty."
"I am serious about love," Minako defended herself, somewhat hurt by his words. "It's just that..."
"Do not lie to me!" snarled Adonis. He drew a short sword and stepped towards her. "Come with me, now!"
"NO! STAY AWAY!" Minako commanded in a loud voice. She quickly prepared to draw upon the power of the Star of Venusia to defend herself.
The door to her bedchamber was suddenly kicked open. Standing in the doorframe was a young man that she recognized as one of the King's knights. The young knight had piercing blue eyes and unruly, brown hair. There was a glint of recognition when he saw Captain Adonis.
"You!" hissed the knight. "You were the one who attacked Princess Hino Rei!"
Before Princess Minako could react, the knight launched himself at Adonis. The captain desperately swung at the young knight, but the short sword was expertly deflected by the knight. The knight stepped forward and plunged his blade into the Adonis' belly.
Adonis had a pained look on his face which was quickly replaced by intense anger. The tall captain's hands began to glow a pale yellow and he backhanded the young knight with a powerful blow. The explosive force of the attack threw the knight against the wall and the knight's unconscious body crumpled to the floor.
Captain Adonis fell to his knees while clutching his mortal wound. Blood trickled between his fingers as he tried to staunch the large gash on his stomach. He slowly slipped to the cold, stone floor.
Minako kneeled next to the dying, young man. "Captain Adonis! Why have you done this?"
Adonis looked up at the young princess, with a rueful smile on his face. He spoke in a tremulous voice, "I wanted to be the one for you, your highness. After I left you here...I found a new Master. I renounced my loyalty to your father and hoped that this would change the wheels of fate. But I can see that it was not meant to be."
"Your new Master?" Minako asked in confusion.
"Yes," Adonis nodded weakly. "Let me tell you something, fair princess. My Master foretold of your destiny. He said that if you failed to accept my love on this night....then for all eternity...you will never know true love..."
Her eyes widened in shock, and a hurt expression slowly spread across her face.
"What's wrong, your highness?" Adonis asked. He reached up and gently stroked her face. "You should look happier than this. Now you can go on...without having to torment yourself over the ultimate choice...between your love or your duty. Your fate...is to continue to fight for all time..."
As those words escaped his lips, the light faded from the eyes of Captain Saijou Adonis.
* * * * *
Maid Osaka Naru's face was buried in her hands as she cried. The young girl, with flaming red hair, was the principal attendant to the Princess Usagi. Naru was on her knees in front of the opened bedchamber of Princess Usagi. A large crowd of guards and attendants had gathered around her.
Two young knights pushed through the crowd and stood before her. She recognized them as Sir Duo and Sir Wufei.
"What is going on here, onna?!" Sir Wufei demanded. His eyes was scanning the area anxiously.
Naru managed to choke back her tears as she spoke, "Princess Usagi! I think she's been kidnapped!"
"Now, now," Sir Duo told her in a comforting voice. He knelt down in front of her. "Tell us exactly what happened that makes you think she was kidnapped?"
Naru sniffed slightly. "Princess Hotaru wanted to talk to Princess Usagi...so I left them alone in the bedchamber and..."
"What?! Princess Hotaru too?!" Sir Wufei cried out in rage.
Naru visibly flinched at the violent outburst. But she quickly pulled herself together and continued.
"After I left the bedchamber, I heard a scream...and now they're both gone!" she cried out miserably. She pointed into the open bedchamber. The windows of the bedchamber were wide open and the curtains were playing lightly in the evening breeze. But otherwise, the chamber was devoid of all life.
* * * * *
[I appreciate any thoughts, comments, and constructive criticisms. Once again, thanks to all those who have provided me with reviews (and inspiration).]
[FYI: Things are becoming pretty hectic at my work, so I am not sure whether I can continue to update this story as quickly as I would like.]
A few weeks had passed since Lord Quatre Raberba Winner had departed from the Castle Mensis with his band of Maguanacs. They had taken a large caravan of weapons, armor and supplies with them back to the desert. Even though Wufei was concerned by the Desert Prince's unusual requisition from the King, he tried not to let it bother him. Instead, he focused on his newly established routine with Princess Hotaru.
Wufei had continued to visit the garden early in the morning to meet with the young princess. Sometimes, there would be little spoken between Wufei and Princess Hotaru. But any mutual silence was more comforting, rather than awkward for either of them. Although he would not admit it, he began to look forward to these regular morning visits.
On this particular dreary, early morning, Wufei calmly walked into the gardens and scanned it for any sign of the delicate young princess. She had yet to arrive. But it was not unusual for her to arrive several minutes after his own entrance to the garden. Wufei went to his regular spot behind a cherry tree to wait. After twenty minutes or so, he grew slightly impatient. He pushed himself off the tree and walked up to the center of the garden near the koi pond. His mind was beginning to wonder if he had somehow offended her in any of their earlier conversations. Or perhaps she was in ill health? He began to wrack his brain for possible reasons why the young princess for not coming.
He was so involved in contemplating all the possible reasons for her failure to come, that he did not notice the sun had already broken over the horizon until it was too late.
"Kuso!" Wufei cursed as he realized that he was going to be late for the morning practice. Angry and ashamed at himself, he barreled out of the gardens.
* * * * *
Duo was snickering in amusement at Wufei's expense. Wufei was currently scrubbing the stables that housed the knight's horses. This chore was usually delegated to a young squire or page for training, but it was occasionally assigned to make a point. Lord Milliardo was not happy with Wufei's tardiness for the past few days and decided to make an example of him.
The proud, young knight was now dressed in ragged looking clothing and scouring the floor with a large brush. The horses even seemed to be laughing at him.
Duo was perched casually on one of the walls of the stable, looking over his friend's shoulder.
"You missed a spot, Wufei!" Duo observed, trying to contain his laughter.
"Shut up, Maxwell!" Wufei hollered in irritation. "Don't you have anything better to do?!"
Duo shrugged. "I probably do...but I can't think of anything more FUN to do at this point."
Wufei fumed and angrily continued to scrub the floor. It was lunchtime and the other knights were in the mess hall. Duo had made it a point to quickly eat his lunch and then dropped by to entertain himself. Wufei, however, had not eaten lunch as part of his punishment. Despite the stench of the stables, his stomach growled painfully.
"Go bother Heero!" Wufei suggested angrily, as he moved to the next stall. He still could not believe how horses made such a huge mess.
Duo hopped over to the next stall to continue to watch his friend.
"But Heero is so boring! He hasn't done anything wrong! Not like another friend of mine," Duo stated teasingly. "First you betray your friend by stealing the object of his affection, and then you start coming late to morning practice. What's wrong, Wufei?"
"You're still angry about that tournament?" Wufei demanded incredulously. "I thought I explained the whole damn thing to you!"
"Yeah, yeah," Duo brushed his friend off casually. "As if I really believed you."
"I have no interest in that infuriating onna! And I never will!" Wufei shouted out angrily. "You are a much better match for her, Duo! Both of you are the most annoying people I know!"
"Hmmm...you find her annoying? That must mean you're in love!" Duo laughed at his friend. This was too much fun for the braided youth.
"I...am...not...in...love!" Wufei grunted, slamming down the brush with each word for emphasis.
Duo's eyes widened with feigned shock. "My dear, Wufei, I have never seen you get so emotional about a woman. I really am beginning to doubt your denials!"
Wufei stood up from the stables and turned around to glare dangerously at Duo. "If you have nothing useful to say to me, then please leave...before I decide to use your face to scrub the rest of the stalls!"
"All right, fine!" Duo conceded, hopping off his perch. "But I did have one thing more to tell you!"
Wufei was already on his knees. He looked up in exasperation at the braided youth. "What is it, Maxwell?"
"I probably should forgive you," Duo told him simply and dropped a small sack next to Wufei. The braided youth walked off whistling a happy tune.
Wufei snatched the sack and opened it up. He smiled gratefully when he saw the contents. A small loaf of bread and a bit of cheese was inside. Wufei hungrily munched into the loaf of bread.
Duo was not more than fifteen yards away when he heard Wufei's outraged cry, "MAXWELL!!!!!!!"
"NOW, I forgive you," Duo smirked. He hoped that the loaf of bread he gave his friend was not too old.
* * * * *
The curtains had been closed to ward off the warm, afternoon sunlight from the bedchamber. Nevertheless, a strong fire was burning intently in the fireplace located at the end of the room. But the fire had not been created for warmth.
Princess Hino Rei was kneeling in front of the flames before her. She was used to the warmth of the fire and its proximity did not bother her. Her eyes were shut and her mind focused.
She muttered a quick series of words and was about to withdraw into herself when she heard a rap on her door. Rei cast an irritated glance at the door. She hoped that whoever it was would go away. Once again, she sought to focus on the soul of the flames before her.
"Excuse me!" called out a nervous voice. Rei grimaced slightly when she recognized the voice of Princess Tsukino Usagi. The young princess had been trying to talk with Rei for the past week, but Rei had generally been able to avoid her. Rei picked herself up and decided to get this over with.
Rei pulled open the door and bowed low in front of Princess Usagi.
"Good afternoon, Princess Tsukino Usagi," Rei greeted. "How may I help you?"
"Good afternoon, Princess Hino Rei," the blond princess replied. "Please call me, Usagi. Can I talk with you for a moment?"
Rei nodded and allowed Usagi to walk into the room. The blond princess immediately took notice of the flames burning in the fireplace.
"Are you cold?" Usagi asked in a questioning voice. She peered intently at the flames.
"No, I'm not," Rei responded, fighting to hold back the sense of irritation that was rising up. "I was meditating."
"I see," Usagi said, though by her voice, it was clear that she did not understand the significance of the fire.
"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Rei inquired.
Usagi turned to look at Rei. "I wanted to personally greet you and apologize for my father's actions. I feel bad that you and the other princesses were forced to come here because of some ancient treaty. But my father would not listen to me. I do not want you to feel any obligation to me at all! However, I still hope it is possible that we could become friends."
Rei studied the young princess. Ever since Rei was a child, she had an uncanny ability to read people. She had never been wrong in her judgment about people. Rei saw sincerity in the eyes of the princess, mixed with sadness and loneliness. It was becoming clear to Rei that this young girl did not have many friends, but she sensed it was not Usagi's fault. It was the fault of the title and the circumstances that came with her birth. This was exactly what Rei had been afraid of, and the reason why she avoided the young princesses. Rei did not want to discover that the King's daughter was a genuinely good person. It was much easier to stay angry at the royal family of Luminaea if Rei continued to despise them in ignorance. But it was too late.
"Of course, Usagi," Rei answered the nervous princess.
A genuine smile of happiness and relief spread across the face of the blond princess. Her face suddenly took on an amazing transformation that astounded Rei.
"Thank you!" cried out Usagi happily. She began to bounce up and down excitedly in a somewhat unnerving fashion.
"May I get back to my meditation?" Rei requested politely.
"Sure!" Usagi nodded. "Can I ask what you meditate about?"
Rei shrugged. "A lot of things. Sometimes I reflect upon the day's events. Once in a while, I get a vision of the future."
Usagi's eyes widened. "You can tell fortunes?" she asked in amazement.
Rei nodded. "It's not too difficult, if one properly applies oneself. Would you like me to read your fortune?"
"I would appreciate it very much, if you could," Usagi answered. "I wonder if you can tell me about whoever will be my future husband?"
Rei smiled slightly. "I will see what I can do. But I cannot make you any promises. Stay where you are and do not make any sounds. I will tell you when I am done. Understand?"
Usagi nodded obediently and clasped her hands together.
Rei gracefully swept across the room and kneeled before the dancing flames. She closed off her mind to everything but the swaying reddish fire before her. Once her mind was clear, she murmured a silent chant. Then she let her mind reach out to the flames to see into the future.
She felt darkness and emptiness in her mind. Then, in the distance, there were the sounds of pain and sorrow. The sounds gradually grew louder and became anguished cries of tormented souls. The screams built into a feverish pitch that became almost unbearably painful to the raven-haired princess. A vision had never had struck her so vividly before. She saw the slim figure of Princess Usagi alone in the darkness. A swirling mist danced around her and quietly began to consume her.
Rei forcibly wrenched herself away from the vision and opened her eyes. Her breathing was ragged as she stared into the flames. She dropped her hands to the ground so that she could support herself. By now, the voices had faded away into the darkness, leaving the violet-eyed princess reeling.
Rei looked over her shoulder to see the concerned eyes of Princess Usagi.
"Are you all right, Princess Hino Rei?" Usagi asked worriedly. "I am so sorry for asking you to do this! I did not realize that it would cause you so much pain! Can you forgive me, please?"
Rei shook her head and pulled herself up. "There is no need to apologize, Usagi. This happens once in a while when one seeks to look into the future. I am used to it. And you can call me Rei."
Usagi nodded slowly. "Is there anything I can do?"
"No, I just need some rest," Rei informed her gently. After a moment of reflection, she turned to look at the blond girl. "I really could not see very well into your future. Maybe we can try some other day."
"Thank you, Rei," Usagi said. She quickly added, "You don't have to do this again for me. I am content to know that I have a friend."
The slender young princess let herself quietly out the door. Rei walked up to the door and shut it quietly. Once she was alone, Rei collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion.
It was a very ominous vision. Yet, Rei had no idea what she should do about it.
* * * * *
The cool, refreshing breeze of the night air was a great relief after a rigorous sword training session. Sir Yui Heero was comfortably lying down on the grass with his sword, letting the calm wind relax both his mind and his body. His leg had finally healed enough so that he could actively continue his training. The young knight was comfortably lying on a small mound of grass on the training grounds. Heero lazily stretched out and turned to gaze up at the Moon reflectively.
For some odd reason, the beautiful image of the raven-haired princess had been haunting him ever since he had met her. Heero was not so easily captivated by beautiful women, but there was something special about her that he could not quite put his finger upon. He had not seen her since that time and it troubled him that such a brief encounter could result in his current state of confusion. But it was also obvious that she wanted nothing to do with him.
Heero sighed lightly and picked himself up. He headed back towards the barracks for the knights. There was not much else he could do about his situation.
Suddenly, he heard the sonorous ringing of the bell from atop the central keep. The sound shattered the peace and tranquility of the night. A frown creased the face of the young man. As a knight, in service of the King, he had been trained to recognize this particular sound above all others.
This was the warning bell used in the most gravest of circumstances. Something was terribly wrong in the castle.
Heero exploded into a sprint towards the central keep. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see others running towards the central keep. He drew his sword out of its scabbard and raced through the open gates of the central keep.
During such an alarm, each knight was expected to immediately guard and protect a designated area of the castle. Heero bolted up two flights of stairs until he reached the floor he was responsible for. He carefully moved his way through the darkened hallways while his alert eyes scanned the area.
He neared a suspicious looking room with a partially opened door.
Then he heard a female voice, from within the room, cry out: "NO! STAY AWAY!"
* * * * *
Princess Minako opened the door to her bedchamber and slipped inside. Before she managed to shut the door, the urgent ringing of a loud bell resounded through the central keep. It seemed unusual that a bell would be tolling so persistently this late at night. Something must be wrong, she thought. Minako considered heading back out to investigate.
Then, a soft voice whispered out from deep within the bedchamber. "Princess Minako! It's me!
The young, blond princess spun around in alarm. A tall, slender figure was standing in the shadows near an open window. The figure stepped out of the shadows to let the moonlight reveal a familiar, handsome face.
"Captain Adonis!" Minako exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here? What is the meaning of this?"
"That bell is this castle's alarm. Princess Usagi has just been kidnapped," he informed her in a grave voice. "You are in danger now. Please, let me take you to safety!"
"How do you know all this? Does my father know that you are here?" she demanded.
The young man shook his head sadly. "Princess Minako, we do not have time for this. You will be held responsible for failing to protect Princess Usagi. Your life is now in serious jeopardy!"
Minako shook her head resolutely. "I cannot simply disappear, because our kingdom would fall under suspicion. I shall not abandon my father or our kingdom so easily. Captain Adonis, how do you know that Princess Usagi has been kidnapped?"
"Princess Minako, please come with me! You can be free from all your obligations and you can live just for yourself!" Captain Adonis urged. In a desperate voice, the tall young man cried out, "Princess Minako, please...I love you!"
Minako was stunned by the sudden confession of the captain of her father's guard. She stumbled backward involuntarily.
"Ever since I was a wretched foot soldier, I have always loved you from afar!" he told her in a distant voice. "You...the chosen princess who would be sent off to ensure the safety of our kingdom. A beautiful vision, shining so brightly, but cursed to live as a hostage. I have come to save you from your fate, your highness! But in order to do so, we must leave now!"
Minako studied him carefully. She spoke in a measured voice, "I am not sure what is going on, Captain Adonis. But I cannot endanger our kingdom by leaving, even if it means my own life."
The handsome features of the young man twisted into a sneer. "Of course! That's how you have always been. I have seen you fawn over so many young noblemen, but nothing ever became of it, for you have never been serious about love. You have never been serious about anything that could possibly interfere with your duty."
"I am serious about love," Minako defended herself, somewhat hurt by his words. "It's just that..."
"Do not lie to me!" snarled Adonis. He drew a short sword and stepped towards her. "Come with me, now!"
"NO! STAY AWAY!" Minako commanded in a loud voice. She quickly prepared to draw upon the power of the Star of Venusia to defend herself.
The door to her bedchamber was suddenly kicked open. Standing in the doorframe was a young man that she recognized as one of the King's knights. The young knight had piercing blue eyes and unruly, brown hair. There was a glint of recognition when he saw Captain Adonis.
"You!" hissed the knight. "You were the one who attacked Princess Hino Rei!"
Before Princess Minako could react, the knight launched himself at Adonis. The captain desperately swung at the young knight, but the short sword was expertly deflected by the knight. The knight stepped forward and plunged his blade into the Adonis' belly.
Adonis had a pained look on his face which was quickly replaced by intense anger. The tall captain's hands began to glow a pale yellow and he backhanded the young knight with a powerful blow. The explosive force of the attack threw the knight against the wall and the knight's unconscious body crumpled to the floor.
Captain Adonis fell to his knees while clutching his mortal wound. Blood trickled between his fingers as he tried to staunch the large gash on his stomach. He slowly slipped to the cold, stone floor.
Minako kneeled next to the dying, young man. "Captain Adonis! Why have you done this?"
Adonis looked up at the young princess, with a rueful smile on his face. He spoke in a tremulous voice, "I wanted to be the one for you, your highness. After I left you here...I found a new Master. I renounced my loyalty to your father and hoped that this would change the wheels of fate. But I can see that it was not meant to be."
"Your new Master?" Minako asked in confusion.
"Yes," Adonis nodded weakly. "Let me tell you something, fair princess. My Master foretold of your destiny. He said that if you failed to accept my love on this night....then for all eternity...you will never know true love..."
Her eyes widened in shock, and a hurt expression slowly spread across her face.
"What's wrong, your highness?" Adonis asked. He reached up and gently stroked her face. "You should look happier than this. Now you can go on...without having to torment yourself over the ultimate choice...between your love or your duty. Your fate...is to continue to fight for all time..."
As those words escaped his lips, the light faded from the eyes of Captain Saijou Adonis.
* * * * *
Maid Osaka Naru's face was buried in her hands as she cried. The young girl, with flaming red hair, was the principal attendant to the Princess Usagi. Naru was on her knees in front of the opened bedchamber of Princess Usagi. A large crowd of guards and attendants had gathered around her.
Two young knights pushed through the crowd and stood before her. She recognized them as Sir Duo and Sir Wufei.
"What is going on here, onna?!" Sir Wufei demanded. His eyes was scanning the area anxiously.
Naru managed to choke back her tears as she spoke, "Princess Usagi! I think she's been kidnapped!"
"Now, now," Sir Duo told her in a comforting voice. He knelt down in front of her. "Tell us exactly what happened that makes you think she was kidnapped?"
Naru sniffed slightly. "Princess Hotaru wanted to talk to Princess Usagi...so I left them alone in the bedchamber and..."
"What?! Princess Hotaru too?!" Sir Wufei cried out in rage.
Naru visibly flinched at the violent outburst. But she quickly pulled herself together and continued.
"After I left the bedchamber, I heard a scream...and now they're both gone!" she cried out miserably. She pointed into the open bedchamber. The windows of the bedchamber were wide open and the curtains were playing lightly in the evening breeze. But otherwise, the chamber was devoid of all life.
* * * * *
[I appreciate any thoughts, comments, and constructive criticisms. Once again, thanks to all those who have provided me with reviews (and inspiration).]
[FYI: Things are becoming pretty hectic at my work, so I am not sure whether I can continue to update this story as quickly as I would like.]