Chapter Two
Rula's Choice
Queen Serenity shaded her eyes from the sun with her pale hand- the Lunarian woman was not used to the heat of the sun having spent the most of her life on the moon. Of course she had occasionally been called away from her kingdom to attend important events that concerned the entire galaxy such as weddings and coronations.
But even such a mild climate as that of Min caused her a slight feeling of discomfort.
Serenity scanned the grassy area near the thundering waterfall with her pale eyes...where had Rula gotten to? She was sure that she had heard the huntress had told the other Raiders that this was were she was going.
Frowning Serenity glanced over at the waterfall that thundered down into the river from a rocky cliff…and there she saw her. A slender figure stood in the centre of the crashing water.
Rula had taken off all of her clothes and stood naked in the centre of the icy torrent of water with her arms curled around her shoulders as she simply stood there letting the waterfall clean her body. The crystal clear water had also cleansed the blood from her hair, which the intense pressure had dragged out of its dreadlocks and now hung in a limp fishtail.
Rula's head was held high and her eyes were peacefully closed as she allowed the rushing water to flow down her serene face...
Serenity decided that Rula probably wouldn't mind her being there since the girls clothing exposed most of her body anyway. "Rula?" she greeted the huntress in a high light voice that she was certain that the girl would be able to hear above the roar of the falls - however she did not immediately receive a reply.
Rula simply remained with her back to the Queen as rivulets of icy water ran down her straight back.
During the silence Serenity noticed Rula's discarded clothing lying draped across a large flat rock a short way off from where she was standing. As she looked disapprovingly at the extremely short top Serenity wondered wryly how the young huntress managed to keep it up. Somehow the strips and the thin buckle at the back just did not seem to be sufficient enough…
"Pressure."
Startled by the unexpected sound of a voice Serenity snapped her head up...Rula had spoken to her. "Pardon?" she asked awkwardly as she looked back over towards her.
"That's how it stays up. Pressure."
Serenity realised that Rula must have guessed that she had been inspecting her discarded clothes. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that the guys are always staring at it." Rula responded.
Serenity's eyes widened a little at the implications of that remark but she was relieved that Rula was speaking to her just as she would another of her group. Rula was not in awe of her at all and that was good.
"Well here's a new experience!"" Rula laughed still not turning to face her. "I've been interrupted while I was having a wash before but never by a Queen!"
Serenity knew better than to reply to that. "May I speak with you?" she asked politely.
"We're speaking now aren't we?" Rula retorted.
"I mean face to face."
Rula shrugged and turned to face Serenity opening her eyes as she did so. Serenity had been prepared for immodesty but she could not help but feel surprised by this girl who seemed to be quite unconcerned about being naked around a total stranger.
Particularly since Rula was so nicely endowed. The huntress's body seemed to flow with a rare untrained grace that immediately struck the Queen as being entirely out of place around a group of wandering hunters and she also had a natural curviness and her poise was unconcerned as she placed a hand on her hip.
There was a wicked smile on the face of Rula the youngest and only female member and leader of the Star Raiders as she stood finally face to face with Queen Serenity.
But what took Serenity's breath away as she saw them was the huntress's eyes. Those deep brown fathomless pools seemed to crackle with the fire of the stars and the moment that she glimpsed them Serenity knew that she had seen eyes so like hers before. They were the eyes of the Princesses of Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Charon and of her own daughter and in that instant Serenity knew that Xizor had been right.
Rula possessed the power of a Princess...but how was that possible?
There could only be one explanation for it - Rula must actually be a Princess!
However...there was something else that startled her simply because whatever she had been searching for she had not expected to see it - but it was there, shining in her eyes...something that the Queen recognized.
Something from the past...
"Is there something on my face?" Rula asked coyly and Serenity realised that in her surprise she had spent several minutes gazing into the girls sparkling brown eyes.
"I'm sorry." she apologised quickly recovering from her surprise. "I was simply admiring your eyes."
"My eyes?" Rula echoed.
"Yes. Your eyes burn bright with the fire of your spirit." Serenity concluded smiling as Rula looked at her bemusedly. "They are beautiful and compassionate eyes."
"That's one that none of the others have used." Rula muttered.
"You have a splendid body Rula. Your physical condition is perfect." Serenity complimented the girl as she stepped out from beneath the waterfall.
As the Queen watched the girl walk towards her she caught a fleeting flash of light. The flash had come from Rula's ankle and wondering what could have caught the light of the sun Serenity looked down curiously. Now that her attention was drawn to it she realised that around her ankle Rula wore a thin band of silver metal. Until now the bracelet had been hidden from sight by the top of Rula's boot but now that it was no longer covered by the leather the silver band was free to sparkle in the light of the sun.
As she looked at the bracelet around Rula's ankle Serenity could not help but feel surprised since Rula had not struck her as being the kind of girl who wore jewellery and other such personal adornments.
"And you like my feet especially?" Rula wondered aloud.
Serenity raised her eyes and as she saw the whimsical expression on the huntress's face she gave her a smile. "Oh I was simply admiring your bracelet." She explained. "I think that it is very pretty."
Rula stared at her for a short while and then gave a careless shrug. "It's nothing special." She replied but the Queen detected a hidden note in her voice that belied what she had said.
It was clear to Serenity that the girl valued the bracelet more than anything else in her life. The fact that she had not taken it off along with the rest of her clothes while bathing made it obvious that it was precious to her and the Queen wondered where she had gotten it from. As she lowered her eyes to look at it again though a flash of light that came from another part of the girl's body startled her - looking at Rula's bellybutton in surprise the Queen noticed the presence of the small silver ring for the first time. A disapproving frown flitted across her face as she looked at Rula's pierced bellybutton and she opened her mouth to say something…
"What's up?" Rula asked, her face bemused as she realised that Serenity was unhappy about something to do with her stomach.
Serenity shook her head as she decided to keep her opinion to herself. "Nothing." she replied mildly as she decided to forget about the lecture she had intended to give the girl. "But tell me Rula…where are your parents?"
Rula stared at her with a now empty look on her face – Serenity was gazing at her with intent eyes as she watched her face. The Queen felt as if she had just spoken in a bizarre language to somebody who had never been a step away from the place they had been born. "My…parents?" Rula asked slowly as if she'd never used that word in her whole life until now.
"Yes…your mother and father." Serenity agreed with a smile. "Where are they?"
Rula didn't say anything for a moment – all she did was stand and stare at the Lunarian woman as if she didn't understand what she wanted to know. Then she said slowly, "My…mom and dad." Her voice was soft – the words felt weird coming from her own mouth. The huntress had sometimes heard others talking about their own mothers and fathers but until now she'd never had any reason to use either word – actually she hadn't ever really thought about the two who had brought her into the world because she…
"I never knew either of them." Rula said bluntly. "I was raised as a Star Raider by Steel-Eye…I have no idea who they could have been."
Serenity gazed sympathetically at her. "You grew up among these men?" she asked gently.
Rula gazed at her with clear eyes. "I've always been with the group." She said distinctly. "They're all I know…and all I need in life.
Serenity was thoughtful – she had noticed that among her group Rula seemed to be the only female.
Could this girl be a Princess, lost by her Kingdom when she was very, very young?
That could explain why nobody had ever heard of her until now…
"Why did you come here?" Rula asked her straight out as she stood hands on hips and her hair clinging to her head and back.
Now that Rula was standing right in front of her Serenity could see that her hair was now an inky dark colour. The water had drenched it and the wet blood had made it a dark shade and she could not help but wonder what it looked like when it was dry and clean.
"I have come to speak with you Rula." Serenity replied mildly as she pretended not to notice the girl's abrupt manner. "I have heard a lot of things about you."
"Oh yes?" Rula replied coyly as she raised her eyebrow and waited for more.
"Do not worry. I have been told that you are a good person." Serenity reassured her. "But the thing that gives me cause for concern is that one of my courtiers recently told me that you have mysterious powers."
Rula's eyes hardened and became defensive in an instant. "Oh? And what about it?" she said quietly but cautiously.
"Why do you want to hide them?" Serenity asked seriously.
The Queen had guessed from the harshness of the girls voice that she had been keeping her strange abilities a secret from her companions since the day she had first discovered them.
Rula shrugged but there was nothing at all uncaring about it. "If the others knew they might think that I'm a freak. A monster. I know that Grift would stick up for me…he's not like the others. But the others would all think that I'm a monster for sure. They'd throw me out for sure." Rula's voice had become strangely tight. "Where would I go? I have nowhere else to go…"
Queen Serenity understood completely. She understood Rula only too well, and perhaps even better than the huntress did herself. Beneath her tough image Rula was just a frightened girl who was under far more pressure than she ought to have been at such a young age.
"You are no monster Rula." Serenity told her soothingly as her motherly side took over to ease the turmoil in Rula's mind. "Rula listen to me...you are a very special young woman indeed. You do not seem to realise it but you are capable of quite extraordinary things."
Rula looked up at her. She had seemed to have fallen under a deep trance as she had pondered once again what might happen if her group were to find out about her strange powers but now she snapped out of it and in an instant her audacity and sassiness returned. "You think so?" she inquired raising the other eyebrow, running a hand through her hair and pretending to be disinterested.
Now that her attention had been drawn towards them Serenity gazed at Rula's hands for a long while as if they fascinated her. Indeed to some extent the Queen of the Moon found herself captivated by them. Rula's hands were so small and perfectly rounded and looked just as delicate as those of all the girls that Serenity had ever met. They seemed gentle but since she had seen the huntress in action Queen Serenity knew the appearance of Rula's hands must surely belie their true strength.
Unable to resist the urge Serenity reached out and without thinking about it gently took Rula's hands into her own. As she gazed down at the girls hands held firmly in her own there was a deep and thoughtful expression in her lilac eyes. Rula simply stood and allowed Serenity to hold her hands and her face was now strangely expressionless.
The huntress made no effort at all to snatch her hands away from her for the soft silkiness of the Lunarian Queen's creamy touch lulled her and set whatever anxiety she might have felt if anybody else had done this to her at ease. The two had made a real connection – they were both very different types of people from opposite walks of life but it was the gentleness of Serenity's hands in opposition to the harshness of Rula's daily life that had such an effect on the huntress. Serenity's eyes became curious as she gazed at the girls unresisting hands which it seemed to her now that she held them felt more like those of a boy rather than a girl. Where there ought to have been a gentle daintiness the Queen instead felt a roughness that she thought just wasn't natural.
Raising her eyes Queen Serenity met Rula's calm eyes and smiled curiously at her. "Your hands are so firm." she remarked thoughtfully.
The Queen's voice broke the almost mesmerised calm that had settled over Rula and she instinctively pulled her hands away from Serenity. The huntress's eyes were now cautious as she stared pensively at Queen Serenity and wondered what had just happened…
"May I ask you a favour Rula?"
"And that would be?" Rula inquired once again interested but wary.
"Would you give me a demonstration of your powers?" Serenity asked plainly.
Rula frowned. "Why?" she asked quietly.
"I heard that they resemble those of the Princesses of my court. I wish to discover if this is true." The Queen explained reasonably enough.
Rula still looked uncertain about using her power out in the open like this with the others so close at hand. "Do not worry. Your friends are on the other side of the cliff." Serenity reassured her. "And I promise that whatever you show me I will not tell anyone. I give my word that anything said or done between us will be in perfect confidence."
Rula realised as she looked into the Queen's eyes that she could trust her. "Okay." she agreed with a deep breath.
As the girl closed her eyes and began to concentrate Queen Serenity watched intently and wondered what was going to happen. Rula made sure that every fibre of her body was under her control as she concentrated on what she was now doing - the huntress had not done this very many times and she had only sparingly experimented to discover just what she was capable of when she had been all alone. The only people who had ever seen her use her powers up until now had been those she was going to kill anyway and so would not matter learnt about her power.
Rula let her mind become as clear as a crystal as she focused and dedicated every part of her mind to what she was about to do...
A small sphere of white light appeared at the end of her fingertip and Serenity suddenly felt the temperature suddenly drop drastically. A minute ago she had been sweltering beneath the sun and now she actually stood shivering at the sudden chill.
Turning sideways the huntress dipped her finger into the waterfall and there was a flash of brilliant light as the sphere of cold energy spread all the way up the thundering water. The resulting blast of freezing air took Serenity totally by surprise and she stood shocked and paler than usual.
Far away on the other side of the cliff the Star Raiders leapt to their feet as they were suddenly assailed by the gale of wintry coldness, as did Xizor and Serenity's guards at the ship.
Serenity stared in amazed silence at the spectacle before her after the light faded away. The waterfall was frozen solid! Rula had transformed the turbulent water into solid ice! Serenity shivered uncontrollably but Rula simply ignored the cold.
The water that had remained in her hair was now frost which fell in little pieces whenever she moved her head.
"That was...incredible!" Serenity stammered chattering. "But aren't you cold?" she added in concern as she remembered that the girl wasn't wearing anything at all.
As she spoke Serenity was thinking that Rula's ability to freeze things was similar to Princess Mercury's ability to control the waters. And Rula had frozen a massive waterfall with apparent ease at a moments notice!
Rula must have the blood of Royalty!
Rula nodded her head causing a shower of frosty flakes to fill the air - then came the great surprise.
Serenity's eyes widened in astonishment as a ribbon of crackling fire danced around Rula's fingertip. She is able to control ice AND fire! So unlike the other Princesses Rula's power is not restricted to a single element! The Queen marvelled silently at the huntress's show of power.
Rula touched her fingertip crackling with the heat of the sun to the frozen waterfall and almost immediately a sudden blast of warmth banished the chill from Serenity's body and filled the air with a great cloud of thick steam.
Within seconds the waterfall was thundering once more but now warmly.
Now completely dry again Rula turned back to Serenity with a caustically raised eyebrow. "Well?" she inquired.
"That was splendid. Thank you for placing your trust in me." Serenity replied gratefully.
"That's okay. And now if you're done having me jump through hoops..." Rula left the sentence trailing away unfinished as she turned and tripped towards the rock her clothes lay on.
Serenity's silence was deep and thoughtful as she watched Rula wrap the top around her chest and tie up the narrow strips at the back. I wonder... she thought as the huntress threaded the buckle and then slipped into the red skirt. I wonder if she...
Now dressed - if not fully then at least partially - Rula trotted back and made in the direction of the campsite. As she passed Serenity however she stopped and gave her a sideways glance. "You know you never really answered my question." She noted. "Why did you take such an interest in me?"
Serenity cleared her throat. "Do you remember what I said before about you being special? Well actually I was not being entirely open with you. There was actually a reason for which I asked you if you would show me your power."
Rula stared at her, startled now. "What was that?" she snapped harshly and suspiciously.
"I needed to be sure that I was right about the origin of your power." Serenity explained.
"And what would you know about my powers?" Rula retorted hotly.
"More than you do yourself as it happens Rula." Serenity looked at the girls face searchingly. "Rula...you have not always lived with the Star Raiders. Am I right?"
The Queen already knew that she was correct but she wanted to hear what Rula would say.
Rula did not allow the surge of surprise she felt show on her face. "How did you know that?" she asked quietly.
"I guessed." Serenity replied simply. "Tell me, how is it that you became one of the Star Raiders?"
A long silence reigned. Rula was now scowling darkly and for a moment Serenity thought that she was not going to answer the question.
But she was proven wrong.
"I don't know where I came from. Where I was born. Who my parents were." the huntress said in a flat and emotionless voice. "The only thing I know about my childhood is that Steel Eye the former leader of the group found me on some backwater planet when I was a baby. Steel Eye took me in and raised me as a member of the Star Raiders. He taught me everything I know about hunting, trapping, surviving in the wild and fighting. It was because of his recommendation that I became the leader after he died."
"Did he ever tell you the name of the planet where he found you?"
"If he did then I don't remember." Rula said flatly. "The truth is I'm a mystery. To everyone and including myself."
A smile was tugging at the sides of Serenity's mouth - it was time. "Well…I think that the time has come for the mystery to end." She declared. "Rula when I said that you are a special young woman I meant very special indeed. What I have seen here today proves it beyond a doubt. Rula...you are a Princess and royal blood flows within your veins."
Rula simply gazed at her as her words sank in. "Excuse me?" she asked rather politely she thought. The girl glanced around the rocky clearing wishing that she could see something familiar to her like some aquatic of beast of Uranus rearing up in front of her with teeth bared ready to rip and tear or one of the Raiders making a pass at her or really just anything apart from Queen Serenity telling her that she was a Princess.
"I was not sure at first but I became convinced when I saw your eyes. They are so like those of the Princesses I know!" Serenity remarked as she gazed once more into the pair of fiery pools.
Rula suddenly laughed. She just couldn't help it because of the absurdity of it all. "EXCUSE me?!!" she repeated, a stunned look on her face. "You're trying to tell me that I could be ROYALTY?!! That's a laugh plus fifty!!"
Queen Serenity was not joking for her eyes were grave as she looked at Rula. "It is not a possibility but the truth. You are a Princess as your power and the light in your eyes both prove." Serenity told her firmly. "I cannot understand how it is that you came to be brought up by the Star Raiders. But that does not matter now that the truth is known to me."
"But I don't want to be a Princess!" Rula protested.
A smile touched Serenity's face. "I am afraid there is little that can be done about that." She replied in a very clear voice.
"What does that mean?" Rula demanded sharply, not liking the sound of that at all.
"I have a proposal for you to consider Rula. You are nobility and have power that can and should be used for the good of the universe." Serenity's voice shone with passionate conviction as she spoke. "You do not belong with the Star Raiders. Your lot in life is far greater than that."
"Get to the point will'ya?" Rula snapped growing unsettled by this conversation.
"Very well then...I shall. Rula...would you accompany me back to the Moon Kingdom and join my court as a Princess?" Serenity asked getting on with it finally.
The requested completed the strangeness of Rula's day. "You have to be kidding!! No way!" Rula exclaimed her eyes widened with thunderstruck shock.
"Rula..." Serenity began gently but the huntress cut her short.
"Queen Serenity listen to me! I'm a huntress. A gatherer. I never eat anything that hasn't tried to kill me first, I go where the wind takes me and barely a day goes by when I do not fight to the death." Rula explained pronouncing the words of each sentence perfectly so Serenity could not possibly misunderstand what she meant. "My life is travelling the universe place to place. If I came with you I'd be like a fish out of water. It wouldn't work out. Anyway I can't leave the others, they need me." she added.
There was sorrow in Queen Serenity's eyes as she listened silently. She could see that Rula had made up her mind and she knew that she would never change it for anyone yet she could not resist on last attempt.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked in a mild voice.
Rula stared at her with a serious glint in her eyes. "More than I've ever been about anything." She replied simply.
Serenity felt a deep disappointment but she did not let it register on her face.
"The we shall say nothing more about it." she said in the end. "But I am glad to have had this chance to meet and speak to you Rula."
Rula just sniffed. She was angry that Serenity had asked her to even consider giving up the life she had always known and indignant with herself for even listening. "Anyway…" she spoke on last time as she turned away and set off for the Raiders camp. "…I'm a pirate. How could I be a Princess?"
Alone again by the waterfall Queen Serenity simply stood and gazed sadly after the departed huntress.
~*~*~
The trouble was that although she had spoken with finality it still didn't feel all that final to Rula.
It bothered her all throughout the rest of the day as she and the other Star Raiders went about their preparations to leave Min. Rula couldn't get rid of her thoughts about Serenity's words to her at the waterfall. 'You are a very special young woman Rula.'
Nobody had ever said anything like that to her before…certainly none of the Star Raiders. Rula was only too well aware of all the leering looks she constantly attracted from the other Raiders. If they were interested in anything about her it surely wasn't because she was special.
Rula remembered the passionate conviction she had seen in Serenity's eyes as she had told Rula that she was actually a Princess. 'You do not belong with the Star Raiders. Your lot in life is far greater than that. You are a Princess and Royal Blood flows through your veins.'
Serenity had been so sure that she was right when she had said that.
But now that she looked back on what had been said at the waterfall Rula realised that she had not given what Serenity had said a chance - instead she had gotten angry with the Queen of the Moon kingdom for asking her to leave all that she had known and grown to love for her entire life and because of that she had pushed her away.
But what if what Serenity had told her was true?
Also Rula felt a twinge as she remembered the sadness she had seen in Queen Serenity's eyes when she had refused her offer. The huntress realized that she had bitten Serenity's head off and that made her feel uncomfortable now that she remembered how she'd spoken to her…
Rula didn't want to admit it to herself but she had come to another decision...
"Rula? You alright?" Grift jogged her elbow to get her attention.
"…Yeah."
"You've been standing there with that stuff in your arms doing nothing for eight minutes, you know that?"
Rula didn't bother to reply to that. "Hey guys!" she called for everyone's attention and the Star Raiders dropped everything they were doing and gathered around her.
"Do you think you'll be okay without me for a little while?" Rula asked.
In the middle of the group Dirk raised his eyes and suddenly his expression had become that of a hunting wolf...
~*~*~
"You majesty our preparations for departure are complete. We can leave at any time." Xizor announced bowing low.
"Thank you." Queen Serenity nodded as she rose from the log she had been sitting on.
"Shall we go you majesty?"
Serenity hesitated and her gaze drifted across to the direction of the Star Raiders camp. Her lips parted slightly but she said nothing.
Serenity was unwilling to leave without Rula but she felt bound to respect her desire to stay with the Raiders. She wished that the two of them could have parted on better terms than they had for she knew that Rula had been angry with her when she had stalked back to the camp.
Queen Serenity sighed and shook her head wearily as she turned back to Xizor. "Yes." she agreed half-heartedly. "I think that it would be for the best."
"Is mistress Rula not accompanying us?" Xizor inquired politely.
Serenity breathed deeply. "No. She wishes to stay with these people. It is a pity but there it is."
"Well I gotta say it's good to know that you'd miss me." a cheery voice interrupted from above.
Startled Serenity and Xizor looked up and there crouched on a branch of the tree behind them was Rula. She was holding her spear and grinned irreverently as she stepped off the branch and landed in front of them – her hair had once more been coated in fresh blood.
"Weren't leaving without me where you?" she asked.
"Rula! Really?" Queen Serenity's face lit up in delight as she realised that Rula had changed her mind.
"Of course!" There was a small wry smile on Rula's face as she thought about what she was doing here. I'll give it about a week at the most… she thought. By then they'll be so sick of me that they'll glad to see the back of me…
Besides – she wanted to hear more from Serenity for a little longer and if that meant that she'd have to put up with a few inconveniences for a while then she was prepared to deal with them. Rula was charmed by this beautiful Lunarian woman whose touch had opened her eyes to a whole new world that she'd never even suspected until today.
"That's excellent! That is to say I am pleased to hear you say that." Serenity amended realising that she really was being a little too forward in her delight that Rula had changed her mind.
Rula unexpectedly frowned and glanced over her shoulder in the direction of a clump of thick bushes - had she just heard a movement in the middle of the foliage…?
"What is it?" Serenity asked curiously as she wondered why the huntress was scowling so oddly.
"Nothing…" Rula replied as she looked back at the Queen with a sheepish grin. "I - just thought I heard something…"
"What about the Star Raiders?" Xizor asked.
"I've fixed everything with them. Grift's gonna take over from me. Now there's nothing to keep us here." Rula responded. "Well then...shall we go your highness?!!"
Queen Serenity nodded in satisfaction. "Yes. We shall now go back to the Moon Kingdom…to your new home."
~*~*~
Dirk laughed silently from where he lay hidden in the heart of the thick foliage. As he turned over onto his back and looked up at the gradually darkening sky Dirk thought about what he'd overheard while the three had been talking.
The scar-faced hunter hadn't understood much of what had been discussed but through his eavesdropping he had learnt of one thing that had been his fantasy ever since the death of Steel-Eye...Rula was definitely leaving for good.
The grin on Dirk's dirty face as he turned and moved his way silently through the bracken was one of gleeful satisfaction - with Rula gone he finally had the chance to realise his own plans for the Star raiders. "Yessss…" he growled in a dangerously soft whisper as he made his way back to camp - having made certain that his competition was now well and truly out of the picture.
~*~*~
That night during the journey back to the Moon Kingdom…
As she watched the constellations shimmering outside her window as if each and every star that made up the solar system was a living soul Queen Serenity was feeling thoughtful. It had been some hours since the party from the Moon Kingdom had set off from Min and though they had travelled much distance through space in the time since that afternoon it would not be until the following morning that they returned home.
Serenity could guess that her daughter was probably wondering why she had left the Kingdom so abruptly. Serenity had told her that she had decided to make an unexpected trip in order to make the acquaintance of somebody she had only just heard about and had taken an interest in. Queen Serenity had not told her about the 'mysterious' young woman for she had not expected to meet the person whose existence she had firmly doubted – so she had been cryptic when explaining the reason for her sudden journey to her daughter for she had not wanted to Princesses to begin discussing the girl who she had firmly believed to be nothing more than a rumour.
Queen Serenity smiled faintly as her thoughts drifted along to the subject of her guest who had boarded the ship along with herself and her retinue…for the most part she felt amused that her own certainty had been proven wrong. The Queen had been so sure that the girl could not possibly exist and now here she was accompanying her back to her kingdom where she would assume her position as a Princess and become a member of her royal court. Serenity had to admit that she could be extremely stubborn at times but she was glad that this time it had turned out that she had been wrong. Now that Rula had been revealed as a princess she would soon assume her position and the duties and obligations that came with it.
However as well as happiness the Queen felt also found that she felt a little worried about how Rula would adapt to her new home after the reckless and care-free life she had lived so far. Another worry that was troubling her was how the other six Princesses would react to her when they met…Serenity's eyes grew distant and worried as she considered them all and tried to guess how each would react to the new girl…
The excitable but helpful and friendly Princess Venus…the quiet and reserved Princess Mars…intelligent and shy Princess Mercury…the brave and strong Princess Jupiter…the happy-go-lucky and innocent Princess Charon…and of course her own daughter as well.
Would they accept Rula when they met her?
The Queen could not quite assure herself that it would be so easy but she had a feeling that things would work out. Smiling she turned away from the stars outside her window – she'd become more interested in her musings now and the stars were always there…they could wait until another day.
Now that she had begun to think about Rula she found herself beginning to wonder about her past…who her parents had been and whether or not they were still alive.
But she was also puzzled – why hadn't she ever heard about a Princess who had been lost when she was very young?
Serenity just couldn't work it out…making her up she rose to her feet from where she had been sitting on her bed in her personal quarters. The queen wanted to talk to Rula and walking out of her chamber she set off in search of the girl.
After checking a few of the other sleeping-quarters she had not been able to find her guest and she furrowed her brow in puzzlement…surely she would be asleep at this hour?
Then she had a hunch and as a knowing look appeared in her lilac eyes Queen Serenity turned and headed down the corridor in the direction of the one place in all the ship where a person could have total solitude…the cargo hold.
As she entered the storage bay the first thing that she was Rula lying fast asleep on the floor. As she walked over to where the sleeping girl lay on her side Queen Serenity gazed at her intently – as she knelt down beside Rula and watched her sleeping there was a smile on her face.
Rula's head was resting on her arm and she looked so peaceful as her chest rose and fell as she breathed softly in sleep. "How unsuitable…" the Queen murmured to herself as she gazed disapprovingly at the girl sleeping on the hard floor. "Why she ought to be sleeping on a bed of the softest down…"
As she rose to her feet her expression was firm – she intended to go and find Captain Blackabar and ask him to carry Rula to the sleep-chamber next to her own where she would know that she would be getting a good nights sleep. But then she stopped and knelt to the floor again as she decided to let the matter drop – just for tonight she would let Rula sleep in the way she was used to.
After all she was sure that Rula would not appreciate being picked up and taken somewhere against her will – so it would really be better to let her have her way for tonight. "I suppose that I must expect some unusual behaviour from you." Serenity whispered as a smile came to her face. "Well then – sweet dreams Rula."
But as the Queen rose to her feet and turned to walk back to her bedchamber for a good night's sleep of her own Rula's peaceful face suddenly quivered and she began to murmur in her sleep. "Aaaaahhhh…" she muttered quietly.
Serenity stopped and turned back to look at the girl in surprise – Rula's face was now uneasy as her sleep became disturbed by what she was dreaming. "No…" she whispered as she turned over onto her other side as if she was frantic to escape from something.
Serenity's gazed down at the now unsettled girl in concern – it seemed that Rula was having a bad dream. "Aaaaaaahhhhh!" her voice escaped from her mouth as a sharp panicked gasp as she began to pant in her sleep, her whole body was now trembling as if in fear.
Queen Serenity watched frozen in indecision – unsure of whether or not to wake Rula.
But the worst of the dream had now passed and as Rula fell silent her face became relaxed once more. With a sigh of relief the Queen decided that she really ought to return to her quarters now and sleep – after all tomorrow would be a big day for them both.
But even after she had taken one last look at her new guest, the soon-to-be-newest Princess of her court Serenity just could not silence the question that was always in her thoughts.
Who are you? The Queen wondered as she walked out of the cargo hold and left Rula all on her own again.
As Queen Serenity headed back to her bedchamber to get some much-needed sleep of her own one last troubled look flitted over Rula's face as the last lingering trace of her dream tortured her soul. Inevitably the sorrowful words that had always preyed at her heart formed on her lips as she slept. "Vaura…forgive me."
Rula's Choice
Queen Serenity shaded her eyes from the sun with her pale hand- the Lunarian woman was not used to the heat of the sun having spent the most of her life on the moon. Of course she had occasionally been called away from her kingdom to attend important events that concerned the entire galaxy such as weddings and coronations.
But even such a mild climate as that of Min caused her a slight feeling of discomfort.
Serenity scanned the grassy area near the thundering waterfall with her pale eyes...where had Rula gotten to? She was sure that she had heard the huntress had told the other Raiders that this was were she was going.
Frowning Serenity glanced over at the waterfall that thundered down into the river from a rocky cliff…and there she saw her. A slender figure stood in the centre of the crashing water.
Rula had taken off all of her clothes and stood naked in the centre of the icy torrent of water with her arms curled around her shoulders as she simply stood there letting the waterfall clean her body. The crystal clear water had also cleansed the blood from her hair, which the intense pressure had dragged out of its dreadlocks and now hung in a limp fishtail.
Rula's head was held high and her eyes were peacefully closed as she allowed the rushing water to flow down her serene face...
Serenity decided that Rula probably wouldn't mind her being there since the girls clothing exposed most of her body anyway. "Rula?" she greeted the huntress in a high light voice that she was certain that the girl would be able to hear above the roar of the falls - however she did not immediately receive a reply.
Rula simply remained with her back to the Queen as rivulets of icy water ran down her straight back.
During the silence Serenity noticed Rula's discarded clothing lying draped across a large flat rock a short way off from where she was standing. As she looked disapprovingly at the extremely short top Serenity wondered wryly how the young huntress managed to keep it up. Somehow the strips and the thin buckle at the back just did not seem to be sufficient enough…
"Pressure."
Startled by the unexpected sound of a voice Serenity snapped her head up...Rula had spoken to her. "Pardon?" she asked awkwardly as she looked back over towards her.
"That's how it stays up. Pressure."
Serenity realised that Rula must have guessed that she had been inspecting her discarded clothes. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that the guys are always staring at it." Rula responded.
Serenity's eyes widened a little at the implications of that remark but she was relieved that Rula was speaking to her just as she would another of her group. Rula was not in awe of her at all and that was good.
"Well here's a new experience!"" Rula laughed still not turning to face her. "I've been interrupted while I was having a wash before but never by a Queen!"
Serenity knew better than to reply to that. "May I speak with you?" she asked politely.
"We're speaking now aren't we?" Rula retorted.
"I mean face to face."
Rula shrugged and turned to face Serenity opening her eyes as she did so. Serenity had been prepared for immodesty but she could not help but feel surprised by this girl who seemed to be quite unconcerned about being naked around a total stranger.
Particularly since Rula was so nicely endowed. The huntress's body seemed to flow with a rare untrained grace that immediately struck the Queen as being entirely out of place around a group of wandering hunters and she also had a natural curviness and her poise was unconcerned as she placed a hand on her hip.
There was a wicked smile on the face of Rula the youngest and only female member and leader of the Star Raiders as she stood finally face to face with Queen Serenity.
But what took Serenity's breath away as she saw them was the huntress's eyes. Those deep brown fathomless pools seemed to crackle with the fire of the stars and the moment that she glimpsed them Serenity knew that she had seen eyes so like hers before. They were the eyes of the Princesses of Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Charon and of her own daughter and in that instant Serenity knew that Xizor had been right.
Rula possessed the power of a Princess...but how was that possible?
There could only be one explanation for it - Rula must actually be a Princess!
However...there was something else that startled her simply because whatever she had been searching for she had not expected to see it - but it was there, shining in her eyes...something that the Queen recognized.
Something from the past...
"Is there something on my face?" Rula asked coyly and Serenity realised that in her surprise she had spent several minutes gazing into the girls sparkling brown eyes.
"I'm sorry." she apologised quickly recovering from her surprise. "I was simply admiring your eyes."
"My eyes?" Rula echoed.
"Yes. Your eyes burn bright with the fire of your spirit." Serenity concluded smiling as Rula looked at her bemusedly. "They are beautiful and compassionate eyes."
"That's one that none of the others have used." Rula muttered.
"You have a splendid body Rula. Your physical condition is perfect." Serenity complimented the girl as she stepped out from beneath the waterfall.
As the Queen watched the girl walk towards her she caught a fleeting flash of light. The flash had come from Rula's ankle and wondering what could have caught the light of the sun Serenity looked down curiously. Now that her attention was drawn to it she realised that around her ankle Rula wore a thin band of silver metal. Until now the bracelet had been hidden from sight by the top of Rula's boot but now that it was no longer covered by the leather the silver band was free to sparkle in the light of the sun.
As she looked at the bracelet around Rula's ankle Serenity could not help but feel surprised since Rula had not struck her as being the kind of girl who wore jewellery and other such personal adornments.
"And you like my feet especially?" Rula wondered aloud.
Serenity raised her eyes and as she saw the whimsical expression on the huntress's face she gave her a smile. "Oh I was simply admiring your bracelet." She explained. "I think that it is very pretty."
Rula stared at her for a short while and then gave a careless shrug. "It's nothing special." She replied but the Queen detected a hidden note in her voice that belied what she had said.
It was clear to Serenity that the girl valued the bracelet more than anything else in her life. The fact that she had not taken it off along with the rest of her clothes while bathing made it obvious that it was precious to her and the Queen wondered where she had gotten it from. As she lowered her eyes to look at it again though a flash of light that came from another part of the girl's body startled her - looking at Rula's bellybutton in surprise the Queen noticed the presence of the small silver ring for the first time. A disapproving frown flitted across her face as she looked at Rula's pierced bellybutton and she opened her mouth to say something…
"What's up?" Rula asked, her face bemused as she realised that Serenity was unhappy about something to do with her stomach.
Serenity shook her head as she decided to keep her opinion to herself. "Nothing." she replied mildly as she decided to forget about the lecture she had intended to give the girl. "But tell me Rula…where are your parents?"
Rula stared at her with a now empty look on her face – Serenity was gazing at her with intent eyes as she watched her face. The Queen felt as if she had just spoken in a bizarre language to somebody who had never been a step away from the place they had been born. "My…parents?" Rula asked slowly as if she'd never used that word in her whole life until now.
"Yes…your mother and father." Serenity agreed with a smile. "Where are they?"
Rula didn't say anything for a moment – all she did was stand and stare at the Lunarian woman as if she didn't understand what she wanted to know. Then she said slowly, "My…mom and dad." Her voice was soft – the words felt weird coming from her own mouth. The huntress had sometimes heard others talking about their own mothers and fathers but until now she'd never had any reason to use either word – actually she hadn't ever really thought about the two who had brought her into the world because she…
"I never knew either of them." Rula said bluntly. "I was raised as a Star Raider by Steel-Eye…I have no idea who they could have been."
Serenity gazed sympathetically at her. "You grew up among these men?" she asked gently.
Rula gazed at her with clear eyes. "I've always been with the group." She said distinctly. "They're all I know…and all I need in life.
Serenity was thoughtful – she had noticed that among her group Rula seemed to be the only female.
Could this girl be a Princess, lost by her Kingdom when she was very, very young?
That could explain why nobody had ever heard of her until now…
"Why did you come here?" Rula asked her straight out as she stood hands on hips and her hair clinging to her head and back.
Now that Rula was standing right in front of her Serenity could see that her hair was now an inky dark colour. The water had drenched it and the wet blood had made it a dark shade and she could not help but wonder what it looked like when it was dry and clean.
"I have come to speak with you Rula." Serenity replied mildly as she pretended not to notice the girl's abrupt manner. "I have heard a lot of things about you."
"Oh yes?" Rula replied coyly as she raised her eyebrow and waited for more.
"Do not worry. I have been told that you are a good person." Serenity reassured her. "But the thing that gives me cause for concern is that one of my courtiers recently told me that you have mysterious powers."
Rula's eyes hardened and became defensive in an instant. "Oh? And what about it?" she said quietly but cautiously.
"Why do you want to hide them?" Serenity asked seriously.
The Queen had guessed from the harshness of the girls voice that she had been keeping her strange abilities a secret from her companions since the day she had first discovered them.
Rula shrugged but there was nothing at all uncaring about it. "If the others knew they might think that I'm a freak. A monster. I know that Grift would stick up for me…he's not like the others. But the others would all think that I'm a monster for sure. They'd throw me out for sure." Rula's voice had become strangely tight. "Where would I go? I have nowhere else to go…"
Queen Serenity understood completely. She understood Rula only too well, and perhaps even better than the huntress did herself. Beneath her tough image Rula was just a frightened girl who was under far more pressure than she ought to have been at such a young age.
"You are no monster Rula." Serenity told her soothingly as her motherly side took over to ease the turmoil in Rula's mind. "Rula listen to me...you are a very special young woman indeed. You do not seem to realise it but you are capable of quite extraordinary things."
Rula looked up at her. She had seemed to have fallen under a deep trance as she had pondered once again what might happen if her group were to find out about her strange powers but now she snapped out of it and in an instant her audacity and sassiness returned. "You think so?" she inquired raising the other eyebrow, running a hand through her hair and pretending to be disinterested.
Now that her attention had been drawn towards them Serenity gazed at Rula's hands for a long while as if they fascinated her. Indeed to some extent the Queen of the Moon found herself captivated by them. Rula's hands were so small and perfectly rounded and looked just as delicate as those of all the girls that Serenity had ever met. They seemed gentle but since she had seen the huntress in action Queen Serenity knew the appearance of Rula's hands must surely belie their true strength.
Unable to resist the urge Serenity reached out and without thinking about it gently took Rula's hands into her own. As she gazed down at the girls hands held firmly in her own there was a deep and thoughtful expression in her lilac eyes. Rula simply stood and allowed Serenity to hold her hands and her face was now strangely expressionless.
The huntress made no effort at all to snatch her hands away from her for the soft silkiness of the Lunarian Queen's creamy touch lulled her and set whatever anxiety she might have felt if anybody else had done this to her at ease. The two had made a real connection – they were both very different types of people from opposite walks of life but it was the gentleness of Serenity's hands in opposition to the harshness of Rula's daily life that had such an effect on the huntress. Serenity's eyes became curious as she gazed at the girls unresisting hands which it seemed to her now that she held them felt more like those of a boy rather than a girl. Where there ought to have been a gentle daintiness the Queen instead felt a roughness that she thought just wasn't natural.
Raising her eyes Queen Serenity met Rula's calm eyes and smiled curiously at her. "Your hands are so firm." she remarked thoughtfully.
The Queen's voice broke the almost mesmerised calm that had settled over Rula and she instinctively pulled her hands away from Serenity. The huntress's eyes were now cautious as she stared pensively at Queen Serenity and wondered what had just happened…
"May I ask you a favour Rula?"
"And that would be?" Rula inquired once again interested but wary.
"Would you give me a demonstration of your powers?" Serenity asked plainly.
Rula frowned. "Why?" she asked quietly.
"I heard that they resemble those of the Princesses of my court. I wish to discover if this is true." The Queen explained reasonably enough.
Rula still looked uncertain about using her power out in the open like this with the others so close at hand. "Do not worry. Your friends are on the other side of the cliff." Serenity reassured her. "And I promise that whatever you show me I will not tell anyone. I give my word that anything said or done between us will be in perfect confidence."
Rula realised as she looked into the Queen's eyes that she could trust her. "Okay." she agreed with a deep breath.
As the girl closed her eyes and began to concentrate Queen Serenity watched intently and wondered what was going to happen. Rula made sure that every fibre of her body was under her control as she concentrated on what she was now doing - the huntress had not done this very many times and she had only sparingly experimented to discover just what she was capable of when she had been all alone. The only people who had ever seen her use her powers up until now had been those she was going to kill anyway and so would not matter learnt about her power.
Rula let her mind become as clear as a crystal as she focused and dedicated every part of her mind to what she was about to do...
A small sphere of white light appeared at the end of her fingertip and Serenity suddenly felt the temperature suddenly drop drastically. A minute ago she had been sweltering beneath the sun and now she actually stood shivering at the sudden chill.
Turning sideways the huntress dipped her finger into the waterfall and there was a flash of brilliant light as the sphere of cold energy spread all the way up the thundering water. The resulting blast of freezing air took Serenity totally by surprise and she stood shocked and paler than usual.
Far away on the other side of the cliff the Star Raiders leapt to their feet as they were suddenly assailed by the gale of wintry coldness, as did Xizor and Serenity's guards at the ship.
Serenity stared in amazed silence at the spectacle before her after the light faded away. The waterfall was frozen solid! Rula had transformed the turbulent water into solid ice! Serenity shivered uncontrollably but Rula simply ignored the cold.
The water that had remained in her hair was now frost which fell in little pieces whenever she moved her head.
"That was...incredible!" Serenity stammered chattering. "But aren't you cold?" she added in concern as she remembered that the girl wasn't wearing anything at all.
As she spoke Serenity was thinking that Rula's ability to freeze things was similar to Princess Mercury's ability to control the waters. And Rula had frozen a massive waterfall with apparent ease at a moments notice!
Rula must have the blood of Royalty!
Rula nodded her head causing a shower of frosty flakes to fill the air - then came the great surprise.
Serenity's eyes widened in astonishment as a ribbon of crackling fire danced around Rula's fingertip. She is able to control ice AND fire! So unlike the other Princesses Rula's power is not restricted to a single element! The Queen marvelled silently at the huntress's show of power.
Rula touched her fingertip crackling with the heat of the sun to the frozen waterfall and almost immediately a sudden blast of warmth banished the chill from Serenity's body and filled the air with a great cloud of thick steam.
Within seconds the waterfall was thundering once more but now warmly.
Now completely dry again Rula turned back to Serenity with a caustically raised eyebrow. "Well?" she inquired.
"That was splendid. Thank you for placing your trust in me." Serenity replied gratefully.
"That's okay. And now if you're done having me jump through hoops..." Rula left the sentence trailing away unfinished as she turned and tripped towards the rock her clothes lay on.
Serenity's silence was deep and thoughtful as she watched Rula wrap the top around her chest and tie up the narrow strips at the back. I wonder... she thought as the huntress threaded the buckle and then slipped into the red skirt. I wonder if she...
Now dressed - if not fully then at least partially - Rula trotted back and made in the direction of the campsite. As she passed Serenity however she stopped and gave her a sideways glance. "You know you never really answered my question." She noted. "Why did you take such an interest in me?"
Serenity cleared her throat. "Do you remember what I said before about you being special? Well actually I was not being entirely open with you. There was actually a reason for which I asked you if you would show me your power."
Rula stared at her, startled now. "What was that?" she snapped harshly and suspiciously.
"I needed to be sure that I was right about the origin of your power." Serenity explained.
"And what would you know about my powers?" Rula retorted hotly.
"More than you do yourself as it happens Rula." Serenity looked at the girls face searchingly. "Rula...you have not always lived with the Star Raiders. Am I right?"
The Queen already knew that she was correct but she wanted to hear what Rula would say.
Rula did not allow the surge of surprise she felt show on her face. "How did you know that?" she asked quietly.
"I guessed." Serenity replied simply. "Tell me, how is it that you became one of the Star Raiders?"
A long silence reigned. Rula was now scowling darkly and for a moment Serenity thought that she was not going to answer the question.
But she was proven wrong.
"I don't know where I came from. Where I was born. Who my parents were." the huntress said in a flat and emotionless voice. "The only thing I know about my childhood is that Steel Eye the former leader of the group found me on some backwater planet when I was a baby. Steel Eye took me in and raised me as a member of the Star Raiders. He taught me everything I know about hunting, trapping, surviving in the wild and fighting. It was because of his recommendation that I became the leader after he died."
"Did he ever tell you the name of the planet where he found you?"
"If he did then I don't remember." Rula said flatly. "The truth is I'm a mystery. To everyone and including myself."
A smile was tugging at the sides of Serenity's mouth - it was time. "Well…I think that the time has come for the mystery to end." She declared. "Rula when I said that you are a special young woman I meant very special indeed. What I have seen here today proves it beyond a doubt. Rula...you are a Princess and royal blood flows within your veins."
Rula simply gazed at her as her words sank in. "Excuse me?" she asked rather politely she thought. The girl glanced around the rocky clearing wishing that she could see something familiar to her like some aquatic of beast of Uranus rearing up in front of her with teeth bared ready to rip and tear or one of the Raiders making a pass at her or really just anything apart from Queen Serenity telling her that she was a Princess.
"I was not sure at first but I became convinced when I saw your eyes. They are so like those of the Princesses I know!" Serenity remarked as she gazed once more into the pair of fiery pools.
Rula suddenly laughed. She just couldn't help it because of the absurdity of it all. "EXCUSE me?!!" she repeated, a stunned look on her face. "You're trying to tell me that I could be ROYALTY?!! That's a laugh plus fifty!!"
Queen Serenity was not joking for her eyes were grave as she looked at Rula. "It is not a possibility but the truth. You are a Princess as your power and the light in your eyes both prove." Serenity told her firmly. "I cannot understand how it is that you came to be brought up by the Star Raiders. But that does not matter now that the truth is known to me."
"But I don't want to be a Princess!" Rula protested.
A smile touched Serenity's face. "I am afraid there is little that can be done about that." She replied in a very clear voice.
"What does that mean?" Rula demanded sharply, not liking the sound of that at all.
"I have a proposal for you to consider Rula. You are nobility and have power that can and should be used for the good of the universe." Serenity's voice shone with passionate conviction as she spoke. "You do not belong with the Star Raiders. Your lot in life is far greater than that."
"Get to the point will'ya?" Rula snapped growing unsettled by this conversation.
"Very well then...I shall. Rula...would you accompany me back to the Moon Kingdom and join my court as a Princess?" Serenity asked getting on with it finally.
The requested completed the strangeness of Rula's day. "You have to be kidding!! No way!" Rula exclaimed her eyes widened with thunderstruck shock.
"Rula..." Serenity began gently but the huntress cut her short.
"Queen Serenity listen to me! I'm a huntress. A gatherer. I never eat anything that hasn't tried to kill me first, I go where the wind takes me and barely a day goes by when I do not fight to the death." Rula explained pronouncing the words of each sentence perfectly so Serenity could not possibly misunderstand what she meant. "My life is travelling the universe place to place. If I came with you I'd be like a fish out of water. It wouldn't work out. Anyway I can't leave the others, they need me." she added.
There was sorrow in Queen Serenity's eyes as she listened silently. She could see that Rula had made up her mind and she knew that she would never change it for anyone yet she could not resist on last attempt.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked in a mild voice.
Rula stared at her with a serious glint in her eyes. "More than I've ever been about anything." She replied simply.
Serenity felt a deep disappointment but she did not let it register on her face.
"The we shall say nothing more about it." she said in the end. "But I am glad to have had this chance to meet and speak to you Rula."
Rula just sniffed. She was angry that Serenity had asked her to even consider giving up the life she had always known and indignant with herself for even listening. "Anyway…" she spoke on last time as she turned away and set off for the Raiders camp. "…I'm a pirate. How could I be a Princess?"
Alone again by the waterfall Queen Serenity simply stood and gazed sadly after the departed huntress.
~*~*~
The trouble was that although she had spoken with finality it still didn't feel all that final to Rula.
It bothered her all throughout the rest of the day as she and the other Star Raiders went about their preparations to leave Min. Rula couldn't get rid of her thoughts about Serenity's words to her at the waterfall. 'You are a very special young woman Rula.'
Nobody had ever said anything like that to her before…certainly none of the Star Raiders. Rula was only too well aware of all the leering looks she constantly attracted from the other Raiders. If they were interested in anything about her it surely wasn't because she was special.
Rula remembered the passionate conviction she had seen in Serenity's eyes as she had told Rula that she was actually a Princess. 'You do not belong with the Star Raiders. Your lot in life is far greater than that. You are a Princess and Royal Blood flows through your veins.'
Serenity had been so sure that she was right when she had said that.
But now that she looked back on what had been said at the waterfall Rula realised that she had not given what Serenity had said a chance - instead she had gotten angry with the Queen of the Moon kingdom for asking her to leave all that she had known and grown to love for her entire life and because of that she had pushed her away.
But what if what Serenity had told her was true?
Also Rula felt a twinge as she remembered the sadness she had seen in Queen Serenity's eyes when she had refused her offer. The huntress realized that she had bitten Serenity's head off and that made her feel uncomfortable now that she remembered how she'd spoken to her…
Rula didn't want to admit it to herself but she had come to another decision...
"Rula? You alright?" Grift jogged her elbow to get her attention.
"…Yeah."
"You've been standing there with that stuff in your arms doing nothing for eight minutes, you know that?"
Rula didn't bother to reply to that. "Hey guys!" she called for everyone's attention and the Star Raiders dropped everything they were doing and gathered around her.
"Do you think you'll be okay without me for a little while?" Rula asked.
In the middle of the group Dirk raised his eyes and suddenly his expression had become that of a hunting wolf...
~*~*~
"You majesty our preparations for departure are complete. We can leave at any time." Xizor announced bowing low.
"Thank you." Queen Serenity nodded as she rose from the log she had been sitting on.
"Shall we go you majesty?"
Serenity hesitated and her gaze drifted across to the direction of the Star Raiders camp. Her lips parted slightly but she said nothing.
Serenity was unwilling to leave without Rula but she felt bound to respect her desire to stay with the Raiders. She wished that the two of them could have parted on better terms than they had for she knew that Rula had been angry with her when she had stalked back to the camp.
Queen Serenity sighed and shook her head wearily as she turned back to Xizor. "Yes." she agreed half-heartedly. "I think that it would be for the best."
"Is mistress Rula not accompanying us?" Xizor inquired politely.
Serenity breathed deeply. "No. She wishes to stay with these people. It is a pity but there it is."
"Well I gotta say it's good to know that you'd miss me." a cheery voice interrupted from above.
Startled Serenity and Xizor looked up and there crouched on a branch of the tree behind them was Rula. She was holding her spear and grinned irreverently as she stepped off the branch and landed in front of them – her hair had once more been coated in fresh blood.
"Weren't leaving without me where you?" she asked.
"Rula! Really?" Queen Serenity's face lit up in delight as she realised that Rula had changed her mind.
"Of course!" There was a small wry smile on Rula's face as she thought about what she was doing here. I'll give it about a week at the most… she thought. By then they'll be so sick of me that they'll glad to see the back of me…
Besides – she wanted to hear more from Serenity for a little longer and if that meant that she'd have to put up with a few inconveniences for a while then she was prepared to deal with them. Rula was charmed by this beautiful Lunarian woman whose touch had opened her eyes to a whole new world that she'd never even suspected until today.
"That's excellent! That is to say I am pleased to hear you say that." Serenity amended realising that she really was being a little too forward in her delight that Rula had changed her mind.
Rula unexpectedly frowned and glanced over her shoulder in the direction of a clump of thick bushes - had she just heard a movement in the middle of the foliage…?
"What is it?" Serenity asked curiously as she wondered why the huntress was scowling so oddly.
"Nothing…" Rula replied as she looked back at the Queen with a sheepish grin. "I - just thought I heard something…"
"What about the Star Raiders?" Xizor asked.
"I've fixed everything with them. Grift's gonna take over from me. Now there's nothing to keep us here." Rula responded. "Well then...shall we go your highness?!!"
Queen Serenity nodded in satisfaction. "Yes. We shall now go back to the Moon Kingdom…to your new home."
~*~*~
Dirk laughed silently from where he lay hidden in the heart of the thick foliage. As he turned over onto his back and looked up at the gradually darkening sky Dirk thought about what he'd overheard while the three had been talking.
The scar-faced hunter hadn't understood much of what had been discussed but through his eavesdropping he had learnt of one thing that had been his fantasy ever since the death of Steel-Eye...Rula was definitely leaving for good.
The grin on Dirk's dirty face as he turned and moved his way silently through the bracken was one of gleeful satisfaction - with Rula gone he finally had the chance to realise his own plans for the Star raiders. "Yessss…" he growled in a dangerously soft whisper as he made his way back to camp - having made certain that his competition was now well and truly out of the picture.
~*~*~
That night during the journey back to the Moon Kingdom…
As she watched the constellations shimmering outside her window as if each and every star that made up the solar system was a living soul Queen Serenity was feeling thoughtful. It had been some hours since the party from the Moon Kingdom had set off from Min and though they had travelled much distance through space in the time since that afternoon it would not be until the following morning that they returned home.
Serenity could guess that her daughter was probably wondering why she had left the Kingdom so abruptly. Serenity had told her that she had decided to make an unexpected trip in order to make the acquaintance of somebody she had only just heard about and had taken an interest in. Queen Serenity had not told her about the 'mysterious' young woman for she had not expected to meet the person whose existence she had firmly doubted – so she had been cryptic when explaining the reason for her sudden journey to her daughter for she had not wanted to Princesses to begin discussing the girl who she had firmly believed to be nothing more than a rumour.
Queen Serenity smiled faintly as her thoughts drifted along to the subject of her guest who had boarded the ship along with herself and her retinue…for the most part she felt amused that her own certainty had been proven wrong. The Queen had been so sure that the girl could not possibly exist and now here she was accompanying her back to her kingdom where she would assume her position as a Princess and become a member of her royal court. Serenity had to admit that she could be extremely stubborn at times but she was glad that this time it had turned out that she had been wrong. Now that Rula had been revealed as a princess she would soon assume her position and the duties and obligations that came with it.
However as well as happiness the Queen felt also found that she felt a little worried about how Rula would adapt to her new home after the reckless and care-free life she had lived so far. Another worry that was troubling her was how the other six Princesses would react to her when they met…Serenity's eyes grew distant and worried as she considered them all and tried to guess how each would react to the new girl…
The excitable but helpful and friendly Princess Venus…the quiet and reserved Princess Mars…intelligent and shy Princess Mercury…the brave and strong Princess Jupiter…the happy-go-lucky and innocent Princess Charon…and of course her own daughter as well.
Would they accept Rula when they met her?
The Queen could not quite assure herself that it would be so easy but she had a feeling that things would work out. Smiling she turned away from the stars outside her window – she'd become more interested in her musings now and the stars were always there…they could wait until another day.
Now that she had begun to think about Rula she found herself beginning to wonder about her past…who her parents had been and whether or not they were still alive.
But she was also puzzled – why hadn't she ever heard about a Princess who had been lost when she was very young?
Serenity just couldn't work it out…making her up she rose to her feet from where she had been sitting on her bed in her personal quarters. The queen wanted to talk to Rula and walking out of her chamber she set off in search of the girl.
After checking a few of the other sleeping-quarters she had not been able to find her guest and she furrowed her brow in puzzlement…surely she would be asleep at this hour?
Then she had a hunch and as a knowing look appeared in her lilac eyes Queen Serenity turned and headed down the corridor in the direction of the one place in all the ship where a person could have total solitude…the cargo hold.
As she entered the storage bay the first thing that she was Rula lying fast asleep on the floor. As she walked over to where the sleeping girl lay on her side Queen Serenity gazed at her intently – as she knelt down beside Rula and watched her sleeping there was a smile on her face.
Rula's head was resting on her arm and she looked so peaceful as her chest rose and fell as she breathed softly in sleep. "How unsuitable…" the Queen murmured to herself as she gazed disapprovingly at the girl sleeping on the hard floor. "Why she ought to be sleeping on a bed of the softest down…"
As she rose to her feet her expression was firm – she intended to go and find Captain Blackabar and ask him to carry Rula to the sleep-chamber next to her own where she would know that she would be getting a good nights sleep. But then she stopped and knelt to the floor again as she decided to let the matter drop – just for tonight she would let Rula sleep in the way she was used to.
After all she was sure that Rula would not appreciate being picked up and taken somewhere against her will – so it would really be better to let her have her way for tonight. "I suppose that I must expect some unusual behaviour from you." Serenity whispered as a smile came to her face. "Well then – sweet dreams Rula."
But as the Queen rose to her feet and turned to walk back to her bedchamber for a good night's sleep of her own Rula's peaceful face suddenly quivered and she began to murmur in her sleep. "Aaaaahhhh…" she muttered quietly.
Serenity stopped and turned back to look at the girl in surprise – Rula's face was now uneasy as her sleep became disturbed by what she was dreaming. "No…" she whispered as she turned over onto her other side as if she was frantic to escape from something.
Serenity's gazed down at the now unsettled girl in concern – it seemed that Rula was having a bad dream. "Aaaaaaahhhhh!" her voice escaped from her mouth as a sharp panicked gasp as she began to pant in her sleep, her whole body was now trembling as if in fear.
Queen Serenity watched frozen in indecision – unsure of whether or not to wake Rula.
But the worst of the dream had now passed and as Rula fell silent her face became relaxed once more. With a sigh of relief the Queen decided that she really ought to return to her quarters now and sleep – after all tomorrow would be a big day for them both.
But even after she had taken one last look at her new guest, the soon-to-be-newest Princess of her court Serenity just could not silence the question that was always in her thoughts.
Who are you? The Queen wondered as she walked out of the cargo hold and left Rula all on her own again.
As Queen Serenity headed back to her bedchamber to get some much-needed sleep of her own one last troubled look flitted over Rula's face as the last lingering trace of her dream tortured her soul. Inevitably the sorrowful words that had always preyed at her heart formed on her lips as she slept. "Vaura…forgive me."