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.
* * * * *
Duo's mind was inexorably pulled out of its slumber by a smell. The groggy young man propped himself on his elbow and lightly sniffed the air. His efforts were rewarded with the delicious aroma of some sort of stew. He cracked open his eyes and surveyed the camp.
It was still fairly early in the morning, but most of the others appeared to be about and around. Heero was grimly studying a map and was discussing some matters with Princesses Rei and Ami. Wufei was seated on a nearby rock as he diligently sharpened the blade of his sword. Yuiichirou appeared to be tending to the horses. Princess Minako was sleeping peacefully next to the campfire, still a gorgeous image to behold even in her slumber. Duo's eyes finally rested upon Princess Makoto, who was cheerfully humming a soft tune while she stirred a steaming pot.
Duo stood up and sniffed the air again. He walked over and sat down next to Princess Makoto.
"Good morning, your highness," he greeted her. He gave her a friendly smile, though he was clearly eyeing the savory looking stew boiling on the campfire.
"Good morning, Sir Duo," she smiled at him. "I hope you slept well."
"I slept quite well," he said. His stomach grumbled loudly. "My, this stew looks and smells absolutely wonderful! Did you prepare this?"
Makoto shyly looked away and smiled happily. "Well, I woke up early and decided to whip up something for breakfast."
"How did a beautiful princess ever learn to cook so well?" Duo asked in amazement. "I didn't think they let princesses in the kitchen!"
"Well, it's a long story," Makoto smiled wanly. She decided to change the subject. "It's basically ready. Would you like to try some?"
Duo scrambled to grab his dish from his pack.
Wufei shook his head when he saw Duo making a break for the food. "One of the last to wake up, and one of the first to eat," Wufei snorted.
Duo's clambering about the camp awoke the sleeping Princess Minako. Minako's eyes perked open when she caught the scent of the stew. She pulled herself out of bed and her own dish was in her hands within seconds.
"Good morning, Makoto," Minako said, grinning like a cat. "Can I have some stew too?"
Wufei rolled his eyes. "There really is something about people who get up late," he grumbled to himself.
Breakfast was quickly consumed and the camp was packed up in less than twenty minutes. Heero had the group heading south pursuant to Rei's directions.
Heero had taken up the lead with Princess Rei. Sir Heero had organized the band into a fairly simple travelling formation. Princesses Minako, Makoto, and Ami were riding in the middle, flanked on either side by Sir Duo and Sir Yuuichirou. They were followed by the packhorses. Sir Wufei was responsible for protecting the rear of the caravan.
As they were riding, Heero would occasionally cast an irritable glare over his shoulder at Duo. The braided youth was enthusiastically flirting and chatting with the young princesses, in particular, Princess Minako.
"Is he always like that?" Rei asked with some amusement.
"Duo? He's always like that around women," Heero grunted. "It's like a disease."
"It appears that you did not catch that disease," Rei observed dryly.
Heero glanced at her. "Was that an insult or a compliment?" he asked in an even voice.
The raven-haired princess smiled cryptically, before she returned her attention to the path before them.
Suddenly, Heero heard Duo's voice from behind.
"Hey Heero, I hope you and Princess Rei are having fun up there!" Duo teased, causing the other princesses to burst into laughter.
Heero turned to glare at Duo. But before he could speak, his eyes caught something in the distance. Heero thought he caught the glimpse of a figure trailing them in the distance. The young knight furrowed his brows and made a quick mental note to himself. This was something that needed to be dealt with.
"Something wrong?" Duo laughed. "Or has Princess Rei's beauty made you too flustered to talk?"
Heero's attention snapped back to Duo. This was also a matter that needed to be dealt with. "Duo! I will cut off your braid and shove it down your throat," Heero threatened.
Heero rarely made idle threats. Duo decided that he would start teasing Wufei instead.
* * * * *
The desert winds were blowing sheets of hot sand against the small encampment located near the base of a small mountain. The afternoon sun continued to burn relentlessly. Even beneath the shelter of his tent, the young prince found the desert heat almost unbearable.
Quatre was lying on his back, trying to get as much rest as possible. But the heat prevented him from finding any rest. On the surface, he seemed as calm as always, but his mind was swirling like the desert sands.
The words of the mysterious horseman haunted him. But Quatre strongly felt that it was morally reprehensible to use human life in such a manner. Life was precious and sacred, not something that he could trade to protect his people. But he also realized that many innocents would continue to suffer. It seemed only right that he should do everything in his power to ensure the safety and peace of his people. But could he sacrifice a princess of the Allied Kingdoms to accomplish this goal?
The image of a gentle, blue-haired princess sprung to his mind. Before leaving the Castle Mensis, Quatre had discreetly inquired for more information on the wonderful young lady. Quatre frowned. He recalled learning that she was one of the princesses of the Allied Kingdom. Could he sacrifice someone like her to protect his people?
"Excuse me, Lord Quatre!" boomed Rashid's voice from outside the tent. "May I come in?"
Quatre sat up. "Come in, Rashid!"
The tall, powerful looking man stepped inside. There was a concerned look on his face.
"A messenger from the capital of Hadi has just arrived," Rashid informed him. He offered a rolled up parchment to the young prince. "There's a message from your father."
Quatre's eyes widened in surprise. He took the parchment and unfurled it. His blue eyes quickly scanned the neatly written script. The young man's face grew somber.
"What is wrong, Lord Quatre?" Rashid asked.
"My father," Quatre said, "he wants me to return to the capital and meet with him."
* * * * *
The sun was setting rapidly in the east, casting long shadows in the forest. Trowa Barton calmly wiped away the blood on his slender sword. The tall, handsome young man was standing casually over the dead bodies of five men. Each of the dead men had their swords still in hand, their lives had been ended quickly and efficiently.
He turned to look at the five, dark colored stallions that had been the mounts of the dead men. The horses were regarding him with a certain interest. The steeds had not bolted during the battle. Now, they seemed to be waiting for him.
Trowa merely raised an eyebrow and looked at them silently for a moment.
The tall, young man turned to mount his own rust colored stallion. The other horses continued to stare at him.
Trowa's horse quietly resumed its careful trot to the south. The other horses whinnied and began to follow the young man.
* * * * *
Heero had set the group on a very rigorous pace with very few stops to rest. The young knight and Princess Ami had been careful about distributing the loads on the various horses to keep them as fresh as possible. The past seventeen hours of travel had been uneventful, except for the occasional threats made against Duo's life by either Heero or Wufei. After a full day's trek through the forest, the group had set up camp in a small clearing. Duo was exhausted from riding all day and was extremely thankful that Princess Makoto was an amazing cook.
Duo stretched himself out lazily on the grass near the evening campfire. Princess Makoto and Yuuichirou were cleaning up the pots and plates used for dinner. Heero was sitting by himself, studying a map. Wufei was busily sharpening his sword as usual. Princess Minako was sitting thoughtfully near the camp, playing absently with the sleeves of her dress.
Duo patted his very happy stomach. After a few moments, he turned to stare up at the night sky. His bright, inquisitive eyes studied the heavens.
"What are you looking for?" Princess Ami asked, as she seated herself near the braided youth.
He glanced over at her briefly and gave her one of his roguish smiles. Duo's eyes returned to stare up at the sky.
"Just looking at the stars," he stated wistfully. "I was wondering where those special stars are in the sky."
"Special stars? You mean the stars represented by each of the royalty of the Allied Kingdoms?" she asked in surprise. "Not too many people pay that much attention to them, other than scholars and a handful of nobles. Do you have a fascination with astronomy, Sir Duo?"
"Not particularly," Duo admitted. "I only know of them because Princess Hotaru pointed out one of those stars to me. The star of Saturnia. But I can't seem to find it any more."
Ami looked up and scanned the gorgeous night sky. "Hmm...that's odd," she murmured quietly to herself.
Duo turned to look at the blue-haired princess. "What's odd?" he inquired.
"Well, it's just that the star of Saturnia no longer seems to be following its normal path across the sky," Ami noted with some interest. "It should be currently aligned over the Constellation of the Cross. But instead, it's now beneath that blinking star over there. The star named Ra's al'Ghul."
Duo's eyes roamed the dark skies until he noticed a star that had an unusual reddish glow. He noticed that it dimmed and brightened, as if blinking at him. He shivered and then saw that the small, purple star of Saturnia was located right beneath the ruby-colored star.
"I think I see it," Duo said hesitantly. "Beneath that scary looking red star?"
"That is correct," Ami affirmed. "The red star, Ra's al'Ghul, is named after an ancient pharaoh that committed many evil acts. He had dark ambitions to conquer all the lands. Ra's al'Ghul ruled with an iron fist from his capital in the city of Haades. Many were brutally tortured or killed under his regime. But the Allied Kingdoms united and were able to defeat his armies. He was eventually surrounded and was killed in his own capital. Upon his death, that blinking red star appeared in the sky. In order to remind future generations to protect against such evil, it was decided that the name of the star would be Ra's al'Ghul."
"I see," Duo noted grimly. "History is quite sad, isn't it?"
"Throughout history, wars have resulted in the suffering of many," Ami stated with a serious face.
Duo pulled up his arms beneath his head and reflected on her words.
Minako was only paying partial attention to the conversation between Ami and Duo. She had noticed that Wufei was fiercely sharpening his sword, as if trying to forget something. She realized that he was probably was worried about Hotaru. The young princess got up and decided to see if she could offer some comforting words to the agitated young knight.
Minako seated herself next to Wufei. He glanced at her briefly, but continued to sharpen his sword.
"You seem rather preoccupied this entire trip," Minako smiled at him.
Wufei barely turned to look at her. "I have no idea what you're talking about, your highness."
"Don't worry, we'll save Princess Usagi...and Princess Hotaru, of course," she reassured him.
"Of course, we will," Wufei said in annoyance. He continued to focus on sharpening his sword, in an attempt to ignore the blond princess.
"Do you miss her?" Minako asked in a sad tone. "It must be tough to be separated from one close to your heart."
"I have no idea what your babbling about, your highness!" Wufei snapped at her. His cheeks were growing flushed, with both anger and embarrassment. This woman was by far more infuriating than that braided baka.
"Come now, Wufei! Is it that hard for you to admit your affections?" Minako pressed him. "There's nothing wrong with going to save your loved one!"
"This is not about love," Wufei growled in a low voice. "Our responsibility is first and foremost to save Princess Usagi."
"But don't you want to save the woman you love too?" Minako teased in a gentle voice.
"Speaking about love in such a mindless manner is woman's talk, your highness," Wufei responded hotly. "I wouldn't expect someone as frivolous as you to understand that duty comes before all else!"
Those last words were like a slap to her face. Minako's mind flashed back to the last words that Saijou Adonis had spoken to her about her own fate. Tears began to well up in her blue eyes. She gathered herself up resolutely. She was not going to let this cold-hearted man see her cry. Princess Minako hurriedly rushed out of the camp to be alone.
This drew the attention of the others in the camp. It was more than obvious that Minako had left rather distressed, and that her discussion with Wufei was most likely the cause.
"I'll go and get her back!" Duo volunteered, hopping up from his resting place.
"No, Duo!" Heero commanded with a raised hand. Heero turned his stern, blue eyes to regard Wufei. "This is your responsibility, Wufei. I want you to apologize to her highness."
"Why should I?" Wufei demanded irritably, folding his arms across his chest.
Heero's eyes narrowed. "If you will not do so as a gentleman, then do so as a knight for his Majesty. I do not know what you said to her, but I will not have petty disputes and ill-feelings jeopardize this mission. Do you understand?"
Wufei scowled as he stood up to glare at the other knight. After a few moments, Wufei spun around and headed off after Princess Minako.
Heero turned to look at Duo. "Wufei needs to do this himself. I hope you understand this."
Duo shrugged and cast Heero a sideways glance.
"Well, then, I just thought you wanted to know we lost another princess," Duo smirked as he sat down on a nearby log. "Who did you want to go after this one?"
Heero glanced about and noticed that Princess Hino Rei was nowhere to be found.
Princess Makoto pointed her finger towards the woods. "She wandered off about fifteen minutes earlier," Makoto supplied helpfully. "Rei wanted to be alone to think about some things."
How had he not noticed her disappearance? Heero wondered. He marched off in the direction Makoto had pointed out. Heero was very good about keeping track of his environment and it was very rare for any one to escape his sharp eye. He was not entirely sure how she had managed to leave without his knowing, but Heero was bound to make sure that it would never happen again. After walking for about five minutes into the woods, he saw Princess Hino Rei in a small clearing in the woods.
Heero paused behind a nearby tree and studied the raven-haired princess. She was kneeling in front of a small pond near a patch of large, white flowers. The glow from the moon bathed her in an almost ethereal light as she was somberly staring out into the heavens. He stood there silently marveling at her loveliness for several moments. It was more than her sheer physical attractiveness. Princess Hino Rei possessed a strong and beautiful spiritual presence that Heero had never seen before. Heero mentally scolded himself for being so easily distracted and his focus returned.
The young knight quietly walked up to her.
"Princess Hino Rei, it's late and you shouldn't be out here alone," he informed her quietly.
The young princess did not seem surprised by his arrival. She simply nodded and picked herself up.
"What are those, your highness?" Heero asked, noting that she was carefully holding a couple white flowers in her hands.
"Casablanca lilies," she murmured softly. Rei quietly turned and headed back to the camp. As she walked by him, he noticed a strong, sweet smell that lingered in the air.
* * * * *
After heading off blindly into the woods for several minutes, Minako eventually fell down to her knees on a patch of soft grass. She leaned herself against a nearby tree and tried to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks. But it was hard.
Ever since the night of Princess Usagi's kidnapping, Minako had quietly bottled up her emotions. She really did not spend much time thinking about Adonis' last words...that she was fated never to know true love. She had not even spoken to any one about it. Such things would have gotten in the way of her duty to Princess Usagi and to her own kingdom. But now, she was feeling the full impact of those words and the implications that they held for her.
Minako wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her dress and sniffed lightly.
She heard the soft rustle of footsteps and glanced over her shoulder.
It was Wufei.
She pointedly turned away from him. Minako collected herself before she spoke.
"What do you want, Sir Wufei?" she asked, forcing her voice to remain calm.
"I...came...to apologize," muttered the knight.
"Your apology is accepted, you may leave now," Minako responded coolly.
Minako waited a few moments for the sounds of his departure. But she heard none. Instead, she could feel him staring at her.
"What else do you want, Sir Wufei?" she sighed in a sad voice. "Have you not said enough to me already?"
She heard him move somewhat closer. Then she heard his voice.
"Here," he said simply.
She glanced over her shoulder. The young knight holding a simple, white handkerchief in his hands. He awkwardly gestured for her to take it.
Minako calmly took the handkerchief and dabbed her eyes with it. She turned to look at him.
"I hope you are more careful with your words around Princess Hotaru," she chided him with a wry smile.
"I am," he reassured her. "But I recognize that I must also think before I speak to you, your highness. Your very presence on this undertaking speaks volumes of your loyalty to the Princess Usagi and your commitment to your own people. Unfortunately, this realization only came to me after I had spoken those foolish words."
"Thank you for your kinds words, Sir Wufei. I know you are the type of person who speaks sincerely, and not simply with honey-coated words," Minako stated in a serious voice. "But I am impressed with your eloquence."
"I studied to be a scholar, before I became a knight," he coughed, looking somewhat embarrassed. "But I beseech you not to tell the others, your highness."
"Your secret is safe with me," Minako winked at him. She paused reflectively, and added, "Now I have something to blackmail you with."
Wufei rolled his eyes and shook his head in an exaggerated manner. But she detected the faint trace of a smile on his lips.
Minako was feeling much better now, even though it was entirely unclear as to the cause of her improved mood. She slowly picked herself off the ground. Minako realized that she was still holding his handkerchief in her hands. It was still damp with her tears. She was not entirely sure whether she should give it back to him like this. He appeared to notice her discomfort.
"You can keep it," he informed her abruptly. "We should get back to camp."
With those words, he stalked off back to camp. Minako stuffed the handkerchief into the pocket of her cloak, and followed him.
* * * * *
Darkness and pain were the only things she could sense when she awoke. Princess Tsukino Usagi struggled to maintain her consciousness. Her body was hurting and shuddering in exhaustion. Her mind slowly focused, allowing her to gradually to begin assessing her situation.
Usagi realized that she was suspended by her shackled and throbbing wrists. The air in the room was swelteringly hot and oppressive. In the background, she heard the wind wail bitterly. The princess struggled weakly against the chains that had bound her. But she realized that her efforts were futile. She stared into the darkness and she could feel that there was something out there.
"She has awakened," a deep, masculine voice rasped. As soon as those words were spoken, a terrible malevolence pervaded the air.
"I have already made all the necessary preparations," a feminine voice proclaimed in an impassive voice.
"The covenant of the stars still must be broken," the deep voice intoned. "That pathetic wretch, Adonis, has failed in his sworn task. I have sent another to ensure that this mission is fulfilled."
Usagi's mind wrestled with these strange concepts. Although none of the matters being discussed were familiar to her, she was astute enough to realize that they had something to do with her imprisonment here.
"The time has come for you to prepare for my true arrival," the dark voice announced. "Now, we must draw upon the energy of the royal bloodline of Luminaea and the powers of the Moon. For nine days, and for nine nights you shall drain the princess of her life force. Do you understand, Ninth Mistress?"
"Yes, my Master," responded the feminine voice in an emotionless tone.
Suddenly, a brilliant purple orb of light illuminated the room. The glowing orb of light was hovering over an opened hand. Usagi gasped in shock when she looked up to see the bearer of the glowing ball of light.
"Hotaru?!"
* * * * *
Footnotes/Endnotes:
The name of an actual star, Algol, comes from the Arabic name "Ras al Ghul" or "Head of the Demon". This binary star system has been considered an ill- omened star by many different cultures because of its rapid change in brightness, making the star appear similar to a "blinking" eye. The Hebrews had a comparable name for Algol, the "Rosh ha Sitan" ("Satan's Head"). The ancient Greeks identified Algol as the "Gorgon's Head Medusa", whereas the Chinese simply referred to the infamous star as a "pile of corpses".
The Casablanca lily (Lilium 'Casablancas') is Hino Rei's favorite flower in the manga. The Casablanca lily is one of the largest Asian lilies, and they have a very strong, sweet smell. The white flowers of this hybrid lily can grow up to ten inches wide. As a note to the readers, the Hino Rei in this story is more closely modeled after the manga version (rather than the anime adaptation of her) (hopefully, no one minds).
(I left these footnotes/endnotes unmarked, because I didn't want readers to scroll down and accidentally stumble across the conclusion of the chapter...that wouldn't be any fun).
* * * * *
Author's Notes: Thanks again for all the reviews! They have been very inspirational and I will continue to update as quickly as my schedule allows. Please review!
By the way, Hotaru really is one of my favorite characters...and I feel bad doing this to her (but there is a reason).
* * * * *
Duo's mind was inexorably pulled out of its slumber by a smell. The groggy young man propped himself on his elbow and lightly sniffed the air. His efforts were rewarded with the delicious aroma of some sort of stew. He cracked open his eyes and surveyed the camp.
It was still fairly early in the morning, but most of the others appeared to be about and around. Heero was grimly studying a map and was discussing some matters with Princesses Rei and Ami. Wufei was seated on a nearby rock as he diligently sharpened the blade of his sword. Yuiichirou appeared to be tending to the horses. Princess Minako was sleeping peacefully next to the campfire, still a gorgeous image to behold even in her slumber. Duo's eyes finally rested upon Princess Makoto, who was cheerfully humming a soft tune while she stirred a steaming pot.
Duo stood up and sniffed the air again. He walked over and sat down next to Princess Makoto.
"Good morning, your highness," he greeted her. He gave her a friendly smile, though he was clearly eyeing the savory looking stew boiling on the campfire.
"Good morning, Sir Duo," she smiled at him. "I hope you slept well."
"I slept quite well," he said. His stomach grumbled loudly. "My, this stew looks and smells absolutely wonderful! Did you prepare this?"
Makoto shyly looked away and smiled happily. "Well, I woke up early and decided to whip up something for breakfast."
"How did a beautiful princess ever learn to cook so well?" Duo asked in amazement. "I didn't think they let princesses in the kitchen!"
"Well, it's a long story," Makoto smiled wanly. She decided to change the subject. "It's basically ready. Would you like to try some?"
Duo scrambled to grab his dish from his pack.
Wufei shook his head when he saw Duo making a break for the food. "One of the last to wake up, and one of the first to eat," Wufei snorted.
Duo's clambering about the camp awoke the sleeping Princess Minako. Minako's eyes perked open when she caught the scent of the stew. She pulled herself out of bed and her own dish was in her hands within seconds.
"Good morning, Makoto," Minako said, grinning like a cat. "Can I have some stew too?"
Wufei rolled his eyes. "There really is something about people who get up late," he grumbled to himself.
Breakfast was quickly consumed and the camp was packed up in less than twenty minutes. Heero had the group heading south pursuant to Rei's directions.
Heero had taken up the lead with Princess Rei. Sir Heero had organized the band into a fairly simple travelling formation. Princesses Minako, Makoto, and Ami were riding in the middle, flanked on either side by Sir Duo and Sir Yuuichirou. They were followed by the packhorses. Sir Wufei was responsible for protecting the rear of the caravan.
As they were riding, Heero would occasionally cast an irritable glare over his shoulder at Duo. The braided youth was enthusiastically flirting and chatting with the young princesses, in particular, Princess Minako.
"Is he always like that?" Rei asked with some amusement.
"Duo? He's always like that around women," Heero grunted. "It's like a disease."
"It appears that you did not catch that disease," Rei observed dryly.
Heero glanced at her. "Was that an insult or a compliment?" he asked in an even voice.
The raven-haired princess smiled cryptically, before she returned her attention to the path before them.
Suddenly, Heero heard Duo's voice from behind.
"Hey Heero, I hope you and Princess Rei are having fun up there!" Duo teased, causing the other princesses to burst into laughter.
Heero turned to glare at Duo. But before he could speak, his eyes caught something in the distance. Heero thought he caught the glimpse of a figure trailing them in the distance. The young knight furrowed his brows and made a quick mental note to himself. This was something that needed to be dealt with.
"Something wrong?" Duo laughed. "Or has Princess Rei's beauty made you too flustered to talk?"
Heero's attention snapped back to Duo. This was also a matter that needed to be dealt with. "Duo! I will cut off your braid and shove it down your throat," Heero threatened.
Heero rarely made idle threats. Duo decided that he would start teasing Wufei instead.
* * * * *
The desert winds were blowing sheets of hot sand against the small encampment located near the base of a small mountain. The afternoon sun continued to burn relentlessly. Even beneath the shelter of his tent, the young prince found the desert heat almost unbearable.
Quatre was lying on his back, trying to get as much rest as possible. But the heat prevented him from finding any rest. On the surface, he seemed as calm as always, but his mind was swirling like the desert sands.
The words of the mysterious horseman haunted him. But Quatre strongly felt that it was morally reprehensible to use human life in such a manner. Life was precious and sacred, not something that he could trade to protect his people. But he also realized that many innocents would continue to suffer. It seemed only right that he should do everything in his power to ensure the safety and peace of his people. But could he sacrifice a princess of the Allied Kingdoms to accomplish this goal?
The image of a gentle, blue-haired princess sprung to his mind. Before leaving the Castle Mensis, Quatre had discreetly inquired for more information on the wonderful young lady. Quatre frowned. He recalled learning that she was one of the princesses of the Allied Kingdom. Could he sacrifice someone like her to protect his people?
"Excuse me, Lord Quatre!" boomed Rashid's voice from outside the tent. "May I come in?"
Quatre sat up. "Come in, Rashid!"
The tall, powerful looking man stepped inside. There was a concerned look on his face.
"A messenger from the capital of Hadi has just arrived," Rashid informed him. He offered a rolled up parchment to the young prince. "There's a message from your father."
Quatre's eyes widened in surprise. He took the parchment and unfurled it. His blue eyes quickly scanned the neatly written script. The young man's face grew somber.
"What is wrong, Lord Quatre?" Rashid asked.
"My father," Quatre said, "he wants me to return to the capital and meet with him."
* * * * *
The sun was setting rapidly in the east, casting long shadows in the forest. Trowa Barton calmly wiped away the blood on his slender sword. The tall, handsome young man was standing casually over the dead bodies of five men. Each of the dead men had their swords still in hand, their lives had been ended quickly and efficiently.
He turned to look at the five, dark colored stallions that had been the mounts of the dead men. The horses were regarding him with a certain interest. The steeds had not bolted during the battle. Now, they seemed to be waiting for him.
Trowa merely raised an eyebrow and looked at them silently for a moment.
The tall, young man turned to mount his own rust colored stallion. The other horses continued to stare at him.
Trowa's horse quietly resumed its careful trot to the south. The other horses whinnied and began to follow the young man.
* * * * *
Heero had set the group on a very rigorous pace with very few stops to rest. The young knight and Princess Ami had been careful about distributing the loads on the various horses to keep them as fresh as possible. The past seventeen hours of travel had been uneventful, except for the occasional threats made against Duo's life by either Heero or Wufei. After a full day's trek through the forest, the group had set up camp in a small clearing. Duo was exhausted from riding all day and was extremely thankful that Princess Makoto was an amazing cook.
Duo stretched himself out lazily on the grass near the evening campfire. Princess Makoto and Yuuichirou were cleaning up the pots and plates used for dinner. Heero was sitting by himself, studying a map. Wufei was busily sharpening his sword as usual. Princess Minako was sitting thoughtfully near the camp, playing absently with the sleeves of her dress.
Duo patted his very happy stomach. After a few moments, he turned to stare up at the night sky. His bright, inquisitive eyes studied the heavens.
"What are you looking for?" Princess Ami asked, as she seated herself near the braided youth.
He glanced over at her briefly and gave her one of his roguish smiles. Duo's eyes returned to stare up at the sky.
"Just looking at the stars," he stated wistfully. "I was wondering where those special stars are in the sky."
"Special stars? You mean the stars represented by each of the royalty of the Allied Kingdoms?" she asked in surprise. "Not too many people pay that much attention to them, other than scholars and a handful of nobles. Do you have a fascination with astronomy, Sir Duo?"
"Not particularly," Duo admitted. "I only know of them because Princess Hotaru pointed out one of those stars to me. The star of Saturnia. But I can't seem to find it any more."
Ami looked up and scanned the gorgeous night sky. "Hmm...that's odd," she murmured quietly to herself.
Duo turned to look at the blue-haired princess. "What's odd?" he inquired.
"Well, it's just that the star of Saturnia no longer seems to be following its normal path across the sky," Ami noted with some interest. "It should be currently aligned over the Constellation of the Cross. But instead, it's now beneath that blinking star over there. The star named Ra's al'Ghul."
Duo's eyes roamed the dark skies until he noticed a star that had an unusual reddish glow. He noticed that it dimmed and brightened, as if blinking at him. He shivered and then saw that the small, purple star of Saturnia was located right beneath the ruby-colored star.
"I think I see it," Duo said hesitantly. "Beneath that scary looking red star?"
"That is correct," Ami affirmed. "The red star, Ra's al'Ghul, is named after an ancient pharaoh that committed many evil acts. He had dark ambitions to conquer all the lands. Ra's al'Ghul ruled with an iron fist from his capital in the city of Haades. Many were brutally tortured or killed under his regime. But the Allied Kingdoms united and were able to defeat his armies. He was eventually surrounded and was killed in his own capital. Upon his death, that blinking red star appeared in the sky. In order to remind future generations to protect against such evil, it was decided that the name of the star would be Ra's al'Ghul."
"I see," Duo noted grimly. "History is quite sad, isn't it?"
"Throughout history, wars have resulted in the suffering of many," Ami stated with a serious face.
Duo pulled up his arms beneath his head and reflected on her words.
Minako was only paying partial attention to the conversation between Ami and Duo. She had noticed that Wufei was fiercely sharpening his sword, as if trying to forget something. She realized that he was probably was worried about Hotaru. The young princess got up and decided to see if she could offer some comforting words to the agitated young knight.
Minako seated herself next to Wufei. He glanced at her briefly, but continued to sharpen his sword.
"You seem rather preoccupied this entire trip," Minako smiled at him.
Wufei barely turned to look at her. "I have no idea what you're talking about, your highness."
"Don't worry, we'll save Princess Usagi...and Princess Hotaru, of course," she reassured him.
"Of course, we will," Wufei said in annoyance. He continued to focus on sharpening his sword, in an attempt to ignore the blond princess.
"Do you miss her?" Minako asked in a sad tone. "It must be tough to be separated from one close to your heart."
"I have no idea what your babbling about, your highness!" Wufei snapped at her. His cheeks were growing flushed, with both anger and embarrassment. This woman was by far more infuriating than that braided baka.
"Come now, Wufei! Is it that hard for you to admit your affections?" Minako pressed him. "There's nothing wrong with going to save your loved one!"
"This is not about love," Wufei growled in a low voice. "Our responsibility is first and foremost to save Princess Usagi."
"But don't you want to save the woman you love too?" Minako teased in a gentle voice.
"Speaking about love in such a mindless manner is woman's talk, your highness," Wufei responded hotly. "I wouldn't expect someone as frivolous as you to understand that duty comes before all else!"
Those last words were like a slap to her face. Minako's mind flashed back to the last words that Saijou Adonis had spoken to her about her own fate. Tears began to well up in her blue eyes. She gathered herself up resolutely. She was not going to let this cold-hearted man see her cry. Princess Minako hurriedly rushed out of the camp to be alone.
This drew the attention of the others in the camp. It was more than obvious that Minako had left rather distressed, and that her discussion with Wufei was most likely the cause.
"I'll go and get her back!" Duo volunteered, hopping up from his resting place.
"No, Duo!" Heero commanded with a raised hand. Heero turned his stern, blue eyes to regard Wufei. "This is your responsibility, Wufei. I want you to apologize to her highness."
"Why should I?" Wufei demanded irritably, folding his arms across his chest.
Heero's eyes narrowed. "If you will not do so as a gentleman, then do so as a knight for his Majesty. I do not know what you said to her, but I will not have petty disputes and ill-feelings jeopardize this mission. Do you understand?"
Wufei scowled as he stood up to glare at the other knight. After a few moments, Wufei spun around and headed off after Princess Minako.
Heero turned to look at Duo. "Wufei needs to do this himself. I hope you understand this."
Duo shrugged and cast Heero a sideways glance.
"Well, then, I just thought you wanted to know we lost another princess," Duo smirked as he sat down on a nearby log. "Who did you want to go after this one?"
Heero glanced about and noticed that Princess Hino Rei was nowhere to be found.
Princess Makoto pointed her finger towards the woods. "She wandered off about fifteen minutes earlier," Makoto supplied helpfully. "Rei wanted to be alone to think about some things."
How had he not noticed her disappearance? Heero wondered. He marched off in the direction Makoto had pointed out. Heero was very good about keeping track of his environment and it was very rare for any one to escape his sharp eye. He was not entirely sure how she had managed to leave without his knowing, but Heero was bound to make sure that it would never happen again. After walking for about five minutes into the woods, he saw Princess Hino Rei in a small clearing in the woods.
Heero paused behind a nearby tree and studied the raven-haired princess. She was kneeling in front of a small pond near a patch of large, white flowers. The glow from the moon bathed her in an almost ethereal light as she was somberly staring out into the heavens. He stood there silently marveling at her loveliness for several moments. It was more than her sheer physical attractiveness. Princess Hino Rei possessed a strong and beautiful spiritual presence that Heero had never seen before. Heero mentally scolded himself for being so easily distracted and his focus returned.
The young knight quietly walked up to her.
"Princess Hino Rei, it's late and you shouldn't be out here alone," he informed her quietly.
The young princess did not seem surprised by his arrival. She simply nodded and picked herself up.
"What are those, your highness?" Heero asked, noting that she was carefully holding a couple white flowers in her hands.
"Casablanca lilies," she murmured softly. Rei quietly turned and headed back to the camp. As she walked by him, he noticed a strong, sweet smell that lingered in the air.
* * * * *
After heading off blindly into the woods for several minutes, Minako eventually fell down to her knees on a patch of soft grass. She leaned herself against a nearby tree and tried to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks. But it was hard.
Ever since the night of Princess Usagi's kidnapping, Minako had quietly bottled up her emotions. She really did not spend much time thinking about Adonis' last words...that she was fated never to know true love. She had not even spoken to any one about it. Such things would have gotten in the way of her duty to Princess Usagi and to her own kingdom. But now, she was feeling the full impact of those words and the implications that they held for her.
Minako wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her dress and sniffed lightly.
She heard the soft rustle of footsteps and glanced over her shoulder.
It was Wufei.
She pointedly turned away from him. Minako collected herself before she spoke.
"What do you want, Sir Wufei?" she asked, forcing her voice to remain calm.
"I...came...to apologize," muttered the knight.
"Your apology is accepted, you may leave now," Minako responded coolly.
Minako waited a few moments for the sounds of his departure. But she heard none. Instead, she could feel him staring at her.
"What else do you want, Sir Wufei?" she sighed in a sad voice. "Have you not said enough to me already?"
She heard him move somewhat closer. Then she heard his voice.
"Here," he said simply.
She glanced over her shoulder. The young knight holding a simple, white handkerchief in his hands. He awkwardly gestured for her to take it.
Minako calmly took the handkerchief and dabbed her eyes with it. She turned to look at him.
"I hope you are more careful with your words around Princess Hotaru," she chided him with a wry smile.
"I am," he reassured her. "But I recognize that I must also think before I speak to you, your highness. Your very presence on this undertaking speaks volumes of your loyalty to the Princess Usagi and your commitment to your own people. Unfortunately, this realization only came to me after I had spoken those foolish words."
"Thank you for your kinds words, Sir Wufei. I know you are the type of person who speaks sincerely, and not simply with honey-coated words," Minako stated in a serious voice. "But I am impressed with your eloquence."
"I studied to be a scholar, before I became a knight," he coughed, looking somewhat embarrassed. "But I beseech you not to tell the others, your highness."
"Your secret is safe with me," Minako winked at him. She paused reflectively, and added, "Now I have something to blackmail you with."
Wufei rolled his eyes and shook his head in an exaggerated manner. But she detected the faint trace of a smile on his lips.
Minako was feeling much better now, even though it was entirely unclear as to the cause of her improved mood. She slowly picked herself off the ground. Minako realized that she was still holding his handkerchief in her hands. It was still damp with her tears. She was not entirely sure whether she should give it back to him like this. He appeared to notice her discomfort.
"You can keep it," he informed her abruptly. "We should get back to camp."
With those words, he stalked off back to camp. Minako stuffed the handkerchief into the pocket of her cloak, and followed him.
* * * * *
Darkness and pain were the only things she could sense when she awoke. Princess Tsukino Usagi struggled to maintain her consciousness. Her body was hurting and shuddering in exhaustion. Her mind slowly focused, allowing her to gradually to begin assessing her situation.
Usagi realized that she was suspended by her shackled and throbbing wrists. The air in the room was swelteringly hot and oppressive. In the background, she heard the wind wail bitterly. The princess struggled weakly against the chains that had bound her. But she realized that her efforts were futile. She stared into the darkness and she could feel that there was something out there.
"She has awakened," a deep, masculine voice rasped. As soon as those words were spoken, a terrible malevolence pervaded the air.
"I have already made all the necessary preparations," a feminine voice proclaimed in an impassive voice.
"The covenant of the stars still must be broken," the deep voice intoned. "That pathetic wretch, Adonis, has failed in his sworn task. I have sent another to ensure that this mission is fulfilled."
Usagi's mind wrestled with these strange concepts. Although none of the matters being discussed were familiar to her, she was astute enough to realize that they had something to do with her imprisonment here.
"The time has come for you to prepare for my true arrival," the dark voice announced. "Now, we must draw upon the energy of the royal bloodline of Luminaea and the powers of the Moon. For nine days, and for nine nights you shall drain the princess of her life force. Do you understand, Ninth Mistress?"
"Yes, my Master," responded the feminine voice in an emotionless tone.
Suddenly, a brilliant purple orb of light illuminated the room. The glowing orb of light was hovering over an opened hand. Usagi gasped in shock when she looked up to see the bearer of the glowing ball of light.
"Hotaru?!"
* * * * *
Footnotes/Endnotes:
The name of an actual star, Algol, comes from the Arabic name "Ras al Ghul" or "Head of the Demon". This binary star system has been considered an ill- omened star by many different cultures because of its rapid change in brightness, making the star appear similar to a "blinking" eye. The Hebrews had a comparable name for Algol, the "Rosh ha Sitan" ("Satan's Head"). The ancient Greeks identified Algol as the "Gorgon's Head Medusa", whereas the Chinese simply referred to the infamous star as a "pile of corpses".
The Casablanca lily (Lilium 'Casablancas') is Hino Rei's favorite flower in the manga. The Casablanca lily is one of the largest Asian lilies, and they have a very strong, sweet smell. The white flowers of this hybrid lily can grow up to ten inches wide. As a note to the readers, the Hino Rei in this story is more closely modeled after the manga version (rather than the anime adaptation of her) (hopefully, no one minds).
(I left these footnotes/endnotes unmarked, because I didn't want readers to scroll down and accidentally stumble across the conclusion of the chapter...that wouldn't be any fun).
* * * * *
Author's Notes: Thanks again for all the reviews! They have been very inspirational and I will continue to update as quickly as my schedule allows. Please review!
By the way, Hotaru really is one of my favorite characters...and I feel bad doing this to her (but there is a reason).