Disclaimer: I don't own Magic Knight Rayearth. If I did, I'd be part of CLAMP, which is blatantly untrue though a heavenly thought. Please don't sue me. I won't be able to feed my rabbit if you do.
A/N: First MKR fic! I've only read the manga of this series, and I only watched half of one episode of the anime; so if there are any inconsistencies, please blame it on the differences, if any, between the manga and anime. And for those lucky people who have read and watched everything and who find little problems…eh…that's what those review things are for, ne? ^_^;; Please go easy on me…
I'll Be Your Support
Chapter One: Her Tears
by Nereix
She had been destined to be Pillar from the moment she was born.
It was an ambiance, an almost tangible aura of her future responsibility that hung over her. All her life, she walked along one Path in preparation for it. A quiet, studious child, she imprinted all the knowledge, the wisdom, deep into her Heart. Her tutors said that she was wise beyond her age; and the people of Cephiro, sensing her kindness, loved her for it. They looked to her with an adoring expectancy that one could almost say was misplaced in a child so young, until one looked into her soft, intelligent eyes and encountered her slow, gentle smile. Her inevitable link to their world gave her an air of mysteriousness, of fey wisdom that put many in awe. She lived with it, accepted it, and did not consider it a burden; but then, she had never known life without it.
At the age of eleven, she formally became Pillar, tied so intricately into the planet that its tides rose and fell with her breath. In the confines of the castle grounds she prayed, allowing her naturally calm demeanor to define itself into the water, land and air of Cephiro. As a result, the animals thrived, the land flourished and the people grew, prospered, and were happy.
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Emeraude's delicate shoes made a soft padded sound against the polished floor as she walked out onto a small terrace. To her right, the sun was setting, dipping serenely past the gently sloping hills. Its light cast her shadow stretching away to her other side, almost stark in its contrast to the sunlit ground it lay over. She stopped abruptly, staring at it.
It was so alone.
Something cried out at her, some fragment of emotion buried in the deepest layer of her soul. Standing there on the balcony, not knowing how or why, Emeraude felt a sudden path of warmth leading from her eyes to her chin, dripping down to stain the marble floor.
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Someone had finally achieved one of the highest ranks in the country, the support to the Pillar. The new Sol had passed the trial. Sitting in her crystal audience room, Emeraude didn't know how to feel about it. She had gone for eight years without a Sol to aid her prayers. Would it be a significant change?
But no. Trepidation, anxiety—even in small doses—would tarnish Cephiro's perfection. As Pillar, she must maintain her serenity. Emotion was unnecessary.
The gilded doors opened. Emeraude stood up.
"Princess Emeraude, if I may present…"
A figure robed in black entered the room, head lowered in respect. Upon reaching the dais on which she stood, it bent down on one knee with a soft whisper of heavy fabric, head bowed.
"…Sol Zagato."
The figure in black raised his head. Emeraude was greeted with long, midnight-black hair that framed a slender face, a gentle mouth that curved in a slight smile, and endless dark amethyst eyes—
Beneath the rosy heat she felt spreading across her cheeks, Princess Emeraude was suddenly aware of the rapid beating of her own heart.
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Eh…once again, a rather short fic. Gomen, gomen…and please R&R! It means very much to me! Arigatou gozaimashita!