Not a Tame Princess

by The Mysterious Traveller

Many centuries ago Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom hears rumours about a mysterious 'Princess'... (Silver Millennium&New Characters - well OBVIOUSLY!)

23. Freeborn, Marauders and a Warrior Prince...

Chapter Twenty-Two

Freeborn, Marauders and a Warrior-Princess

Three months after Princess Universe's disgrace and disappearance – Planet Earth…

The warm rush of wind caused Rula's dreadlocks to sharply whip against her back as she perched atop the ridge that afforded her a superb viewpoint for the vast stretches of countryside that lay spreading out before her gazing eyes, (One now ringed by a thin circle of white face-paint that she'd decided to add for the sake of it a week or two ago.) her long dark-purple cloak streaming wildly to her right.

Behind she could hear the spacecraft that had been her ride here taking off now that its business on Earth was done. Space transport was not quite as advanced as the technology of the others planets in this part of galaxy and this was why she could feel her back being bathed by the mild heat inadvertently generated by the out-dated lift-off system. As she scoured the country below Rula's eyes were alert for any sign of her old comrades the Star Raiders – she'd managed to trace them here after many weeks of searching fruitlessly for them throughout the universe.

Since she'd taken nothing in the way of money after her disgrace in the Moon Kingdom she'd quickly needed to come up with a plan that lay in her ability so that she'd be able to cover all of her travelling expenses…and the solution that she'd come up with had been a extremely simply and obvious one. In order to earn the money that she needed to buy her food and pay for the inter-planetary passage that she needed in order to continue her journey Rula had become…a mercenary. Her career change hadn't been without its initial difficulties however – at first anybody she had approached and offered the services of her spear and skills in the arts of hunting and tracking had reacted by eyeing her cynically, sceptical and reluctant to hire – what they had so tactfully described as – a little girl like herself. In fact the very first man she had approached in hopes of employment and quick and up-front pay had sniggered at her and suggested that she turn around, headed to a beauty-parlour and powdered her nose. Getting into the festive spirit his companions, in the tavern where she'd found him, had joined in the 'fun' and suggested that she go home to her mother and learn to cook and sew…that ass and his boozing companions been the first and LAST fools to openly express their scornful opinion about a female fighter though the memory still made her blood boil. The example that she'd made of them all had spread like wildfire and the next person she'd tried hadn't judged her worth based entirely on her youthfulness and femininity…until she'd served her purpose, collected her fee and left anyway. There'd still been a little trouble in store for the huntress however – some stubborn people had still been confident that they'd be able to take advantage of a 'naïve' girl like her and get her services (As well as certain OTHER things from her...) without paying a penny. As it had turned out however the first man who'd tried to use his skill in the art of conning innocent girlies like herself had ended up paying her twice the amount that he'd originally promised her – this had come about when he'd tried to get out of paying her upon her return from her mission and offered to make all of her trouble worthwhile all the same by proposing to give her the evening of a life-time. But the way she'd been feeling that evening Rula had insisted on turning down his offer to wine and dine her for the sake of what had seemed to her like a much deeper discussion – that of her fee. It had gone very quickly after that and in the end the arrogant man had been begging to give her what he had promised as well as interest just to make sure that she never came near him again.

In order to get at least a clue about where the Star Raiders might be found she'd gone straight to Mars, the planet of war after the night she'd left the Moon Kingdom for it was there that the Warriors-Guild Headquarters were based and where information on all the various groups either officially recognized or at least signed on with the Guild was gathered. However a surprise had lain in store for her. The Intelligence Officer whose office she'd visited had received her welcomingly - and appreciatively - enough when she'd first arrived but as soon as she'd said the words 'Star Raiders' his expression had become deeply grim. He'd asked her sternly whether she was a member of that group and the way he'd asked it had made her tell that no, she was just an old friend who wanted to look them up. It had been true enough and the Officer had grunted and told her that two weeks before her arrival on Mars the Star Raiders had set off for Earth...he'd had no grounds to detain her but Rula had had a strong feeling that he had thought of it...to keep her from finding the Star Raiders. He'd been a good sort...but why had he reacted like that to the very name of her old group? Something stank...but she told herself that she'd have to wait until she tracked them down before she got herself some answers...

Now her search for her old comrades had brought her back to one of the two worlds she would have been blissfully, ecstatically overjoyed never to have set foot on ever again for the rest of her life...Earth.

Rula's face was set in a dark expression as she took the chance to feast her grim eyes on the grassy and wind-swept glade that the generous and good-hearted owner of her ride here had gone out of his way to deposit her in the middle of. Love it or hate it you somehow always found yourself going back to an old haunt…that was what they said. Rula stood up and set off down the side of the windy hill without a trace of humour in her darkened eyes. There was no doubt about the fact that she completely loathed the very name of this planet…as far as she was concerned it was 'Earth' as in 'dirt'.

This was where her mentor had died a year ago, murdered at the hands of a fanatic and where she had lost the one man who she had always looked up to and trusted with her life. Not only that but after Steel-Eye's long life had ended and she'd taken over his role as leader of her group her first choice had to go to the place where all of her troubles had started…

The huntress didn't hate this world but she didn't like it either – but she steeled herself to brave the searing and painful memory of Steel-Eye's last seconds of life. A week ago she'd been told that the Raiders had been seen coming here and so she'd followed in hope of catching up with her old group and hooking back up with them before they left. However as she scanned the horizon for any tell-tale trails of smoke or the far-off sound of drunken carousing she had to admit that this didn't look promising at all. If they were here then she'd be able to hear them partying…

Did I miss them after all? She thought in exasperation as she looked half-heartedly around…and then she stopped abruptly.

In the far distance she could make out the great shadowy outline of a huge building that towered over the sun-setting horizon and plunged much of the area that surrounded it into never-ending shadow…Emperor Mu's fortress.

Covering mind-boggling leagues of land, a grey lump of misery lounged in the middle of the greenery and otherwise thriving life of the country-side – many towers and spires reached up like savage talons made of lifeless stones in an infuriatingly bitterly smug gesture of absolute superiority over all else and domination over them. In the fading light of the day Rula thought that the castle looked rather like a vulture's claw – like a flow of poison hatred began to filter into her dark brown eyes as they narrowed because she knew that somewhere inside that lavish yet mournfully drab structure was the man who had destroyed everything that she'd grown to treasure during the time that she'd lived in the Moon Kingdom.

The malicious ruler of the land on which she now stood would be reclining at this very moment without a single care in the world that he had intimidated into apathy during the twenty years he'd ruled over it while she wandered the cosmos with nowhere to turn to but a life of emptiness and hostility. Rula clenched her teeth and her body trembled as she breathed in fury – she bet that he was looking back and laughing about what he'd done to her that night…everything that she'd lost because of his vindictive desire to pay back Serenity.

The howling urge to bust down the gates and corner him like an animal filled her, the temptation to kill as many of his brutal guards as she could to get to Mu and then throttle the life out of him slowly and painfully, teasing the entire undertaking out for as long as she possibly could was so fierce and so seductive that she was only slightly surprised when she felt her feet moving under their own power in order to take her towards the massive fortress in the distance.

But then her senses snapped back into place and she restrained herself – the fantasy was delicious but she struggled to push it to the back of her mind, knowing that her anger wouldn't change things.

As she turned her eyes away, practically dragged them from the castle she also thought about Queen Serenity. What would she say if she could see her now thinking such ugly thoughts?

That thought was enough to make her think twice and with a sigh she turned and walked on her way. During the time she'd spent on the road over the last few months many of the things that she'd done and many more that she more importantly HADN'T done had been influenced by the thought of the Queen.

Whenever Rula had been offered jobs like extortion, assassination she'd almost been able to see Serenity's horrified and reproachful eyes gazing at her and so no matter how lavish the offer of payment had been she'd always turned the job offer down without hesitation.

The thought of Queen Serenity's disappointment in her for allowing herself to sink so low as to do what those scum wanted was enough to make her mind up.

It was strange…she hadn't realised until recently just how much she cared about Queen Serenity's opinion of her and how little she cared about what the Star Raiders thought. The pride that she had once gone to so much trouble to keep intact was gone and in the place that it had once occupied foremost in her mind were memories – recollections of Princess Mercury.

Her smile happy or sad, the way she had always reminded her to stand up straight and firmly insisted that she talk properly even though she hadn't ever really managed to get the hang of the latter.

The kind-hearted Princess had become so much more to her than a friend and even now that they were apart she was with her…as her conscience.

Rula tried to ignore her pain and confused feelings as she wished that things hadn't ended the way they had and hoped that the people she'd left behind in the Moon Kingdom weren't too worried about her. But even worse she was beginning to regret the decision she had made to leave them all behind and this was bitter for her as an honest yearning to go back cried out in her heart.

As she thought of going back she wavered – apart from being afraid of how the people of the Kingdom would look at her after what had happened she cringed horribly at the thought of meeting Serenity again.

The thought of the woman she had grown to feel such respect and reverence for gazing at her coldly and telling her that since she'd run out on not only her but her friends she should just stay away made her lip tremble and as hard and viciously as she bit down on it until blood rose she just couldn't stop it.

Deep down she knew that Serenity would never be so harsh and unforgiving but the tiny doubt in her mind was still enough to scare her – she couldn't bear to risk being turned away, see disdain in the glorious eyes of the Queen of the Moon.

Sighing miserably Rula resolved to search around until she found somebody she could ask about the Star Raiders – there was nobody else for her to turn to.

Sliding down the remainder of the hillside she wondered what Mercury thought of her for leaving without saying so much as goodbye – it wasn't nice to reflect on. As she brooded a faint sound in the near distance caught her attention.

As the sound of a bunch of twigs being crunched registered with her Rula snapped out of it and grabbing hold of a tree trunk as she slid by it she stopped her descent.

The huntress hung there by one hand completely still and silent as she listened keenly. Was that…someone crying? She thought as she stood totally alert to catch the faint sound again.

There was no more to be heard – in fact the copse that she had slid halfway down to suddenly seemed a lot more quiet than it had been a moment ago. It didn't really make the place any more silent but rather to her mind it made it more apparent…and strange.

Whoever's out there they know I'm here. She thought as she used her grip on the trunk to pull herself slowly back up the slope. Mounting behind the tree she began to climb its trunk to catch a birds-eye view of the copse below before she entered it.

A very distant snapping sound hit her like a raindrop falling on her head in the middle of a blazing summer morning. Hmm…now isn't that interesting? She thought with a cynical smile as she crouched on the branch and turned her head in the direction from which she was sure the telltale sound had come.

Whoever they were the other person in this place frankly sounded like they weren't as good as her at what they were trying to do – namely trying to avoid being noticed.

Like those of a watchful panther her eyes opened in alert at the sight of a hint of colour that didn't belong among the green foliage and brown earth which made up the lay of her surroundings – the unknown person was creeping through a thick patch of bracken and their cautious halting progress which caused the bracken to move as they crawled through and then stop when they paused for breath made it plain that whoever she was tracking was scared.

Rula made her move as swiftly as an eagle swooping down to snatch up her prey before it could even gasp. Unfurling her tensed up muscles the huntress lunged into the air using her perched position on the branch to put momentum into her leap.

Instead of landing on the ground however she caught hold of the branch just below the one she'd been crouching on as she fell past it, swung around once and then let go, dropping behind the patch of bracken on all fours like a cat stalking a mouse.

A high-pitched scream of fright set her ears pounding and despite her world-hardened temperament Rula flinched as all of her nerves were set on end.

Slumped against the bush she had been hiding behind, shocked into sheer fright by the appearance of this fierce-looking girl a dark-haired girl stared frantically at her – her dress was disarranged due to crawling through the rough foliage but though the material was torn in places it still covered her body decently.

"No!" she wailed her eyes wide and filled with wild terror as she thrust her hands outward. "No! Don't hurt me please! I don't have any money I swear!"

Funnily as they girl who she had cornered fell to her knees and hurled her arms around Rula's ankles as she sobbed and begged for her not to hurt her the huntress was more shocked by what had passed through her mind just then than her preys reaction to be captured. Since when did I start caring about 'decency'? she thought in stunned disbelief.

~*~*~

Meanwhile…

Several miles away from where the huntress had touched down on Earth an evil presence moved swiftly beneath the setting sun – a host of men on horseback thundered over the ground without being challenged by any of the people whose crops were ruined by their mounts. At least most of the riders were men – however one of them rode astride on her horse making her woman-hood clear.

This group of notorious bandits had made their first appearance a few years ago and even though they had apparently come out of nowhere they had swiftly grown to be feared by many of the people who dwelt in this land.

These mysterious and very vicious butchers would resurface every week or so, sweep the countryside around the Imperial castle in a tide of pillaging and destruction striking fear into the hearts of those whose land they rode across and then disappear just as they had appeared.

Curiously enough the Emperor did not seem to have done a lot to take steps against these bandits even though their marauding ways damaged the crops of his people and therefore made it problematic for them to pay their dues to their esteemed ruler…

The rider at the head of the host glanced around the plain that the riders had just reached and cruelly pulling the reins in his hands he bade his horse to stop. "That's far enough!" he called back over his shoulder to his fellow cut-throats. "None of that rabble will follow us this far. Even the most determined of them would think twice about pursuing us over the distance that we've covered."

The man who clearly led the mysterious group of bandits steadied his foot in the saddle of his horse and dropped to the ground. This man was tall and when he had hailed his companions his voice had been surprisingly smooth and cultured for that of a bandit.

The face of the man was covered in a mask of coarse grey cloth but his eyes glimmered out at the world before him through narrowly cut holes in the material. Like those of a serpent his eyes shimmered coldly within the darkness beneath the mask like molten gold but most strikingly they did not seem to reflect the glorious light of the sun as they darted this way and that to make sure that the clearing had everything that he and his host needed to set up camp for the night.

Satisfied that the area was safe enough since there was nobody around here for miles the leader of the bandits reached up and pulled the almost suffocating mask from his head.

As his golden locks of hair unfurled now that they were free from the stuffy confines that had held them in place the man's face was clear to be seen and he had been wise to keep it concealed during that day's pillaging for if any of the people who had fallen foul of his host had realised who he really was then there would have been a world-wide uproar.

Emperor Mu's arrogant face was slightly flushed from the heat of his mask and bore a smirk as he turned to look over at his companions - who were in fact hand-picked members of his own guards disguised as brigands – jumping down from their mounts at his command.

That Mu had many, many dark secrets was well known to the people of Earth suspected by many others throughout the galaxy but this one would have shocked every planet in the galaxy to the core if it had ever been revealed.

It had been half a year after he had first assumed the throne of Earth that Mu had first begun to make his mysterious unexplained sojourns into the countryside outside his castle every few weeks taking with him only twelve of his most trusted guards. The people of the castle had whispered about it ever since it had begun – just what did their master do on these occasional trips out into the realm in which he was so reviled?

However their many speculations and theories, wild as many of them were, had never even come close to touching the truth that would have shocked and astounded every last one of them.

The truth was that Mu's favourite pastime had become disguising himself as a bandit and going out to terrorise his countrymen for the afternoon – to put it plainly whenever he got suitably bored he'd head out to indulge in a spot of preying on his own people.

As the inner and outer Moon Queens of the galaxy both Serenity and Chara grimly knew that the golden-eyed Emperor of Earth was nothing but a black-hearted jackal – his tyrannical rule over his people was entertainment enough but for some reason it just...no longer felt as SATISFYING as it had felt during the first couple of years of his reign.

And that had been when he had come up with the banditry idea – he would personally take a hand in the brutalisation of the peasants living near his castle and he'd also make sure that none of the activities of his host of brigands could be traced back to him by wearing the mask.

To Mu there was nothing at all more thrilling than wreaking a good day's slaughter and mayhem on the people who he ruled and then slipping seamlessly back into his everyday life and leaving those who had been unlucky enough to fall victim to his pastime that particular afternoon to piece back together their shattered lives…until they next time boredom began to creep over him.

What he did to the very people who he governed filled him with glee and also boosted his supply of the drugged and bemused slave-girl's who practically filled the upper levels of his castle – the knowledge of what the rulers of his neighbouring planets and especially the oh-so-beautiful and determined Serenity would think if they knew the truth about what he got up to whenever he felt bored only made him grin.

But this evening Emperor Mu's sardonic face was dark as he stood having only just come away from that days spot of banditry – over the last few months it had become more about business than pleasure.

"Get to work setting those tents up – it's too late for us to go back to the castle." He ordered his host who were waiting for him to speak. "The serf's will be returning from their fields so there's no way we could pass through without them noticing us."

Most of the 'bandits' jumped right to the task that their liege had set them but one of the younger and less experienced men in not only battle but more unfortunately in dealing with his master was concerned enough to venture a reply. "Sire, what about your brother? What if Prince Darien finds us here and challenges us."

Mu snorted derisively. "Forget about him!" he snapped making a dismissive gesture with his black-gloved hand. "Why that wretch couldn't find water if he fell out of a boat! He's probably gotten himself lost in some serfs back garden and is trying to hack his way out through the hedge-row…now get to work!"

Making a mental reminder to have the young upstart who had dared to speak out against his instructions introduced to the world of an Imperial Guard by means of an hour or two in the torture chamber when he and his host returned home under cover of dawn the next day Mu leant against his horse - which stiffened as it felt the close proximity of his master – sneered and settled back for a spot of brooding whilst the men prepared to set up camp for the night.

As he contemplated the village that he and his men had distinguished with their presence earlier that day Mu narrowed his eyes – thoughts of that village had been preying at his mind relentlessly over the past three months. For some reason the people living their had suddenly taken it upon themselves to refuse to continue to pay their tithes any longer and even dared to oppose the men whom he had sent to find out what the meaning of it all was.

No matter how much he had threatened them the people of that one village still defied him and looked like continuing to go on doing so – and as much as he hated to admit it the Emperor found himself at a total loss for how to deal with those upstarts.

Mu knew that the head of the village – a man named Orlando – was respected throughout the continents because of his warrior ancestry and that alone made him nervous about dealing with him. Mu could always crush Orlando and the rest of the villagers like insects but what held him back from going ahead and doing it was that fear that if he raised his hand against them then their example would spread to the rest of his people who were dissatisfied by his rulership…and he had to admit that they were quite a lot.

It was all so frustrating…

But in the meantime using the cover of his bandit host was a good way to attack the village to vent some of his anger while he tried to think of a solution to the problem – but today he and his men had come away from their raid on the village with a little more than any of them had been expecting.

Smiling coldly Mu turned around to inspect his new acquisition – the girl who was slumped unconscious over the back of his horse where she had been since he had carried her away after coming across her in the aftermath of the raid on the village.

Mu's eyes were speculative as he gazed at her sleeping face – what he had seen before taking her had aroused his interest…in fact it had been his main reason for seizing her though it certainly wasn't the only one.

With this one in his hands the Emperor knew that he would finally be able to test the little project that he'd dragged that old fossil Acheton out of his lab to work on ever since his visit to the Moon Kingdom…

The morning after the visit of Emperor Mu and Prince Darien to the Moon Kingdom...

Emperor Mu stamped up the long winding stairway that led to the top of the tower with an impatient growl - this was the precise reason why he never visited Acheton in his lab other than the fact that the old goat was utterly and undeniably mad.

Not that he ever actually went out of his way to acknowledge the existence of the wizened old alchemist under normal circumstances but the thing was that if Acheton's lab had been located anywhere other than high above ground level inside the castle walls then the tyrant's home would have been filled with clouds of numerously coloured smoke and unpleasant odours twenty-four hours a day seven days a week…sometimes Mu had to wonder why it was that he even permitted the old fool to remain in his castle. However a new and far more interesting pursuit would always seize his attention long before he'd made any headway in coming to any kind of logical conclusion on the matter and so the continued presence of the magic-dabbling alchemist who spent so many days in his lab that he didn't even know the time of year remained one of the mysteries of life at the Imperial Castle.

Today however was different…today the tyrant had a reason for visiting Acheton in his secluded tower.

A reason that fascinated him…

"Acheton!" Mu bellowed as he hurled open the arch-shaped iron-bound door with a thunderous kick and stalked down a passageway that led into the straw-lined room from which sure enough drifted a musky odour that morning. "Acheton you disgusting old leper I have something I…"

As he emerged into the lab itself Mu's voice caught in his throat at the sight that met his eyes and petered out as he stared blankly - Acheton was looking as shabby and bedraggled as usual and today his robes were even more blackened and sported several singed holes.

However he was not alone - sitting on a three-legged rickety stool beside his work-bench (The surface of which was quite crowded with stained beakers and sheets of age-yellowed and curly-edged parchment.) was Anna the scullery-maid…while not at all ugly nor even plain this dark-haired young woman had become rather drab in appearance over the course of the three years that she had spent in service at the castle.

"My dear girl I see no reason why you should feel so twitchy!" Acheton exclaimed in his usual befuddled and blustering way. "There is nothing the least bit dangerous, no chance at all or even the remotest risk that any harm might befall a hair on your head in what I ask of you."

"I'm…I'm not sure about this My Lord Acheton." Stammered Anna who would have liked nothing better than to have ran for the door except that she was rooted to her seat as she nervously kept her eyes on the bedraggled old man at all times. "Besides I really ought to be getting back to work…"

Unnoticed by either of them Mu scowled - what was the old alchemist up to?

"My darling girl I really don't think that you appreciate what it is that I am offering you!" Acheton exclaimed. "Why this is not a task…no you should think of this as a golden opportunity! Just one drink of my newest and greatest potion which I have produced as the result of five months of hard work and you will have assisted me in writing a new chapter in the history books of alchemy!"

Anna looked slightly interested as she considered this. "Tell me - what exactly would this potion of yours DO to me Lord Acheton?" she asked cautiously.

Beaming the alchemist clapped his hands together. "Why I am glad that you have asked that my dear!" he declared proudly. "A single sip of my miraculous elixir will make you far more beautiful than you are now!"

That was enough for bedraggled Anna who had grown very self-conscious about her looks over her three years of servitude. "Oh why didn't you say so?!!" she cried her eyes shining with delight.

Before he could answer her the serving wench jumped to her feet, sending the stool over with a crash that shook it to pieces and snatched a bottle of peculiar radiant green liquid from the bench…with a loud POP she uncorked it and eagerly emptied the luminous content down her throat.

A long minute crawled by as Anna waited impatiently for the promised effects and Acheton watched expectantly and with baited breath to witness the ultimate result of all his painstaking concocting and experimentation…

WOOMPH!!!

Acheton coughed ferociously as he impulsively breathed in a great lungful of the white smoke that had suddenly filled his lab - blinking he realised that there was now no sign of Anna in the spot where she'd stood a moment ago…in fact, as he realised with a downward glance, the only clue that she'd ever been in his lab was her empty clothing which now lay limply on the floor. "It works!" shrieked the crazed old man as he flung his arms wide apart and laughed. "A triumph! A veritable triumph! Oh what shall follow now…"

"ACHETON!!!"

Acheton squeaked and whirled around - he cowered as his Emperor loomed through the cloud of sulphuric smoke and stood glowering at him. "My Emperor! Great news…" he began.

"Never mind that now!" Mu snapped as he leaned forward and gripped the blackened and singed old man by the shoulders so that their eyes were level. "It's time for you to earn your keep here you old goat…I want you to start working on something for me."

There was an unsavoury glint in the tyrant's golden eyes as he described the idea that had occurred to him upon waking that morning…

A grin of anticipation on his face Emperor Mu called over to one of his Guards who knowing just what lay in store for the younger Guard instantly dropped what he'd been doing and came over. "Have her sorted out and brought to my tent when she awakens." Mu instructed him in a precise manner – since most of his men knew what he expected of them in circumstances like this he didn't really need to go into details. "Oh and make sure that you're careful with this one – she's a tricky one to hold." He handed the guard a rough bag. "Here – this should keep her in check. Tell me once you've got it on her…then it'll be safe for me to undo the spell."

"At once my liege." The Guard responded as he accepted the bag, eyeing the captive girl very curiously as he thought about the words that his Emperor had used to describe her.

Mu's grin broadened as the Guard gathered his captive into his arms and carried her away to where the Slave-Mistress waited. The thought that was on his mind had come right out of the blue but it had been on his mind ever since it had happened and still made him chuckle…

The pained look on Serenity's face that night…and that foul-mouthed little peasant-girl who'd had such ideas beyond her station.

Mu laughed quietly as he wondered just what had happened to her ladyship 'Princess' Universe…his information-gatherers had brought him the news of her departure from the Moon Kingdom and he'd laughed out loud.

The thought of that mouthy little wench having been humbled and forced to leave her new life of luxury filled him with satisfaction – especially since he knew that Serenity had cared about her so much.

Mu just wished that he could see the 'Princess' again after what he had done but now a slightly bemused look crossed his face as he realised something for the very first time.

It had been a few days after his trip to the Moon Kingdom when his trouble with Orlando had begun…but that couldn't possibly have anything to do with what had happened that night.

Could it…?

~*~*~

"So your name's Jessi…"

"No!"

Rula had been about to go on with the question of just why her newly found companion had dragged her all the way here but as she was interrupted she gave her a puzzled look instead. "It's not?"

"Nope."

Rula couldn't work out any reason for the scowl that had appeared on the other girl's face. "But isn't 'Jess' kinda short for J…" she began.

"It's not like I had much choice about it." The dark-haired girl said severely. "I prefer to have people call me Jess for short."

"Not Jessi…?" the huntress persisted, still not understanding the other girl's preference of a nickname rather than her full, given name.

Jess thrust her hands onto her hips and drew herself up to her full height which really wasn't all that impressive since she was no taller than Rula. "I'd like you to call me Jess, Rula." She said huffily.

Rula shrugged. "Okay then…" she submitted carelessly as she flicked her dreadlocks over her shoulder. "…anything you say Jess."

Jess gave a satisfied smile – ever since she and Rula had been thrust together earlier that evening she had clung to the strange off-worlder girl like a limpet. For reasons baffling to the huntress the dark-haired girl had insisted that she come back to her home village with her to meet her Chief.

Right now the two girl's were standing in the Chieftain's hallway which just like the outside of his house was immaculately clean and grand though not glamorous.

Instead there was a strong sense of pride and dignity which Rula could feel all around her as she gazed around – she could practically smell them in her air. They were both familiar to her as things that she'd grown to recognize just as well as a reflection of her own face.

Steel-Eye had taught her to feel pride - dignity had been something that she'd begun to discover and value during her time in the Moon Kingdom…

Rula flinched and shook her head – that part of her life was over and done with now and the best thing that she could do was try to forget about it…and everything that it had given her.

"Ya know I'm sure he's got more important stuff to do than shootin' the breeze with me – I mean he's the head of your village right?" Rula began, she felt really anxious to get back onto the Star Raider's trail before it went cold.

"Yes that's right – I told you that he is." Jess agreed looking at her oddly. "What's your point?"

"My point is that he's probably got more on his mind than passin' the time of day with the likes of some wanderer who just happens to have passed by his town right?" Rula elaborated as she eased herself away from the wall and began to edge stealthily towards the door that led back into the chill of the winter evening. "I should be headin' on my way right now anyway so…"

"Hold it! You're not just anybody Rula!" Jess exclaimed as she looked at the huntress like she was mad. "You're the girl who brought me safely home! And you're just like the rest of us…a warrior!"

Rula blinked – that last comment had hit her like a bolt of lightning out of a cloudless sky. "You're all warriors?" she asked slowly as she processed what she'd just heard.

Jess nodded her head firmly. "Every last inhabitant of my village from the oldest man right down to a newly born infant is a warrior by heritage." She assured the now whimsical-faced huntress proudly.

Rula's expression was peculiar as she stared at the dark-haired girl – the thought that was going through her mind as she compared it with what Jess had just told her was her outburst of wailing when they had first met two hours ago. "You're…the latest member of a long line of warriors?" she pressed in disbelief.

Jess was very, very quiet for just a second and then she replied in a very sheepish voice, "Well…to be honest I'll be able to begin my training as soon as I come of age…but I AM a member of the Freeborn!"

Rula simply stared at her in wonder. "Ohhhh-kaaaaayyy…" she murmured, softly as her eyes sidled to the left as she cautiously thought about what she would say next…and also wondered who the 'Freeborn' were.

As luck would have it however she didn't need to think up anything to fill the void that had just swallowed their conversation whole since a deep and gruff voice hailed them both from the other side of the hallway door where they had both been told to wait outside by the Chieftain's housekeeper.

"You may enter now my children."

Rula raised a thoughtful eyebrow – that voice sounded so grave and yet it echoed with sheer strength of heart that she had not seen many times in her life.

On the road with Steel-Eye and living in the Moon Kingdom with the Princesses.

Rula clenched her teeth as she again felt the pain inside – there she was, doing it again!

Forcing herself to go through more and more unbearable pain by remembering how happy and fulfilled she'd been there…why couldn't her memories just stay buried at the back of her soul where she wouldn't have to think about them?

"That's us!" Jess cried with an excited grin as she clapped Rula on the back and shook the huntress out of her reflections. "C'mon…come and meet my village Chief Orlando!"

Becase that's what they are…memories. Rula thought as her inexplicably bright and vibrant companion opened the door and stood at one side waiting for her to go in first. We don't make them…they're what make us, what shape us into the people we become. Afterwards they always reflect in us and make us remember how we used to be and drive us to wonder how we could have lived if we'd been wiser back then. If we could just take away everything that hurts then we could be whoever we wanted to be…but then they wouldn't be memories at all. As the huntress walked into the living room of Orlando's house she breathed a silent sigh and closed her eyes in sadness and regret. They'd be nothing but bad dreams…

~*~*~

Meanwhile – the Moon Kingdom…

"Mother – may I speak to you?"

Queen Serenity turned around at the sound of her daughter's voice – there was something urgent in the gentle and as calm as always tone of her only child.

Serenity's eyes were as calm as they had been during the many hours she had just spent in the Royal Conference chamber yet as she had walked gracefully out her face had taken on a very troubled expression that had dogged her for many nights.

The Queen of the Moon was feeling her most frustrated and distressed that evening – she had spent the greater part of her day attending a meeting that had been focused upon the distressing situation that had never left her thoughts since it had begun…Universe's disappearance.

None of her ministers had been able to gather any information about where the missing Princess had gone to after her departure that night nor had they even been able to discover whether anybody had seen or spoken with her since then.

Serenity knew very well the reason for this – now that she had chosen to go back to her old life Universe had also taken back her old name and since she would be travelling as Rula it would be natural that not a trace of Princess Universe could be found anywhere.

Serenity had sighed as the door of the conference room had closed behind her – she had never felt so helpless in all her life but she had forgotten about how she herself felt as she had seen the look on her daughter's face.

The Moon Princess had been patiently waiting outside the Conference Room for the last three hours so that she would have a chance to talk with her mother alone – such an opportunity had become rare over the past few months what with her mother being quite busy preparing against the dreaded possibility that war might break out between the Moon Kingdom and the Dark Kingdom as well as her tireless struggle to find Universe.

The combined strain of both efforts had left the Lunarian Queen very tired and with little time to speak to her daughter but now Serenity saw that her daughter was clearly very troubled about something and decided to make time for her. "Of course you may my dear." she exclaimed as she walked over to her prodigal child. "Tell me – what is it that you are thinking about so much?"

The Moon Princess seemed to hesitate but then she overcame it and spoke up. "Mother – do you think that we will ever see her again?" she asked earnestly.

Serenity felt very much taken aback by the directness of her daughter's question but she tried to summon the words that would assure her that Universe would indeed return one day – but instead she found that words just weren't enough to convince her daughter of something that she herself felt dreadfully uncertain about. "Darling…I cannot tell you that it will be alright…I cannot tell you that Universe will come back to us and that if she does then she will be happy again here." Serenity whispered gently as she stroked her daughter's hair. "I just cannot say any of that so simply…but what I can tell is that I have every hope."

"What for precisely?"

"That things will work out for all of us…Universe included." Serenity explained with a smile which though not completely assuring was at least hopeful. "I hope my daughter…and I hope that you can find it within yourself to hope as well."

The Moon Princess was silent as she considered this but now her face was more thoughtful than sombre – she had always looked to her mother whenever she had needed advice and the thing that she was worried about was that Universe had no such person wherever she was.

Universe was alone and the Moon Princess could not think of anything worse than having no friends or family…

"Why don't you go to the others now?" Serenity suggested as she decided that she really needed to be going on her way. "I have much to see to…"

"Mother…" something anxious and even anguished that now rippled all of a sudden in her daughter voice and she turned and looked at her in concern. "I…"

"Yes?" Serenity prompted her, feeling startled by the emotion on her daughter's face. "What is the matter?"

"I promised her that everything would be fine for her…that she would not have a thing to worry about." The Moon Princess blustered. "And now…"

"I know, I know…and you will be able to keep it." Serenity promised and her voice sounded much more assured this time.

"But you said that we can only hope that we will see her again." The Moon Princess replied frowning. "Why do you now say that she will come back?"

Serenity's smile made her tranquil eyes all the more beautiful. "Because there is something else that is very different than hope but even more powerful if you only dare to keep it...something that I have never abandoned." she replied. "And it is strong enough not to need assurance to keep it going…faith."

~*~*~

Orlando the Chieftain of his village-settlement and the latest descendent of a family of warrior-ancestry was a large flaxen-haired man whose name was well known throughout the territory of his people and throughout much of the land around.

Fiercely loyal to his kinsmen and his fellow villagers, dedicated to the honour of the people of his world and utterly merciless to his enemies this great man had guarded the sanctity of his village with his huge Battleaxe and defended the honour of his noble ancestry for many years but this evening his heart was heavy with care and worries.

Orlando's hair was a source of brightness in the darkening light of the late evening and tied behind his head in many thick blonde braids. The face of the village Chieftain was as grave as his heart at that moment though never dark nor even grim for a moment – no matter how great and deep his care was this man never allowed himself to give in to despair and it took just one look at him to drive in the truth to anybody that he was as seasoned a warrior as one could ever have dreamt of finding anywhere in the universe.

The great broad-chested man had seen much action in his life, more battles than anybody else in the village and he had actually left his home to serve in some of the great wars that had arisen during the reign of the previous King – back then during those glorious days Orlando had been proud to play a part in creating the honourable history of his world under the commands of his noble liege to whom he had entrusted his life…but that had been back then.

These days things were far different than they had been during those glorious times and the change was bemoaned by the people of Earth to this very day.

Orlando's grave expression was due to what he was looking at as he stood in front of the main window of his living room – he had a perfect view of the rest of the village but at the moment he wasn't happy about that at all.

The spectacle outside his house was one of devastation and was in fact the very thing that he had recently spent many days and nights preparing against – now that it had arrived his heart weighed heavily because he knew how it would effect the lives of his fellow villagers but instead of reducing him to despair the sight that he gazed at only made him more and more determined not to back down before the enemy that he and his people had pitted themselves against…their own Emperor.

"Do you see how we live…my people and I?" Orlando said to the girl who stood beside him at the window looking out and seeing just what he saw – his voice sounded tired but not at all defeated.

The Chieftain never allowed himself to run out of energy when his people were in need of him.

Rula's eyes were deeply troubled as she stood with her hands on the sill of the glassless window gazing out at the village that Jess had brought her to, her hands on her hips and her body framed by her cloak - she hadn't had a chance to take a look around and taken stock of her new location earlier because of her companion's cheerful commentary while she had walked her to Orlando's house earlier but now that she saw it the appearance of the village struck her.

The acrid smell of lingering smoke had hit her like a swarm of insects and stung her nostrils as well as causing her eyes to water on and off as she had walked silently along with her companion – she'd been too wrapped up in her own thoughts to think about it but now that she looked at the village outside she knew that one thing was for sure.

Something had recently been burning here…something VERY big and when she had inquired about the choking smell Orlando had guided her over to the window and told her to look out…and she had seen just what had been burning.

The charred and blackened corners of the partially and even wholly burnt houses had almost stopped her breath and she had guessed there and then what had happened and why Jess had been hiding out in the forest at sunset.

"So who was it?" Rula asked gingerly.

Orlando's eyes remained on his singed village as he replied, "A group of so-called bandits." the bitterness in his voice was understandable but it still surprised her when she heard it in his up until now grave yet clear voice. "They call themselves The Marauders and first appeared eighteen years ago – a little while after our noble ruler Mu claimed the throne actually."

Rula stared at the Chieftain – something in his voice when he'd said that had startled her. When he'd spoken about the bandits who'd ravaged his village Orlando's voice had sounded savage which even though she'd only known him for half an hour startled her. It was understandable considering what had happened to his village that day but what had struck her had been the sarcasm that had rung gratingly in his voice when he'd mentioned the bandits…

"They're a strange bunch alright." Jess put in – she was standing behind them in the middle of the room. "Every week or two they come out of nowhere and raid a town or two, then they vanish again for months on end. Nobody really knows anything about them, who they really are, where they come from and go back to when they disappear again…"

"Nobody…but us." Orlando said ominously – his voice was even more grating than before as he took up the conversation again. "The most particularly 'strange' thing about the whole thing is that ever since the day we announced that we would no longer pay tithes to Mu the Marauders began to appear more frequently then ever before and for some reason they seem to have dedicated all of their attention towards our village…now wouldn't you say that's odd? I mean why target our village when there are so many others settlements in this area less willing to fight against them than us?"

Rula's eyes had never left him but now they narrowed – she understood. "Emperor Mu…" she spat the name in disgust as she and the Chief walked back into the main area of the room and away from the window and the mournful sight that lay outside. "I'd heard rumours before…but I guess that until now I couldn't believe that anyone would be low enough to do stuff like this to the people he rules."

"Oh that vermin has the capability to do anything no matter how depraved Rula." Orlando rumbled. "But even he realises just how much the rest of the people on this continent respect us – that's why he hasn't sent out his Imperial Guards to smash us openly. Mu knows that if he did then the sympathy that we have from all of the others would turn into anger and since there isn't a single town that he hasn't angered since he took the throne that would be VERY bad for him…it could even lead to an all-out rebellion."

"So instead he's using his group of so-called Bandits to attack you guys…because he wants to prevent a revolution by having someone who's not connected to the Empire get rid of you for him!" Rula shook her head in disgust. "That's just about the lowest…"

"Aye." Orlando nodded his head in agreement as he returned to the seat he'd risen from when the girl's had entered. "And that's why my people and I refuse to tolerate Mu's rule over our planet any longer – we're all determined to fight until we're all dead before we submit to the will of that malicious brutal tyrant! That man disgraces the memory of his father, the King before him and I for one will not be a part of that by pledging my allegiance to him! Before Mu's ascension to the throne we lived with honour and dignity but now he has dragged the pride of our world into the dust…but no longer."

Rula gazed at him – her eyes were filled with respect for the familiar warrior-like determination that blazed like fire in Orlando's gentle and yet strangely fierce eyes – just by hearing him speak she could feel the depth of his dedication to the formidable task that he had set himself…to reclaim the honour and freedom of his people from the tyrant Emperor Mu and undo all of the evil that that man had committed against them all during his reign. "And so you and the others became the Freeborn…a group opposed to the rule of Emperor Mu the tyrant of Earth." she murmured, summing up what he'd just told her.

"You seem pretty bitter yourself whenever you talk about Mu, Rula." Jess commented. "What's your story? I mean have you ever fallen foul of him yourself…?"

"Shush Jessica." Orlando rumbled and as Jess scowled Rula gave the Chief a smile of gratitude – more gratitude than he could realise. "Don't badger her like that."

During the deep silence Rula gazed at the village Chieftain but kept quiet – she couldn't think of a single word because his fiery passion had taken her breath away.

Then Jess walked forward and stood in front of him. "Chief Orlando." The dark-haired soon-to-be-warrioress-in-training spoke up hesitantly – she was nervous about addressing the head of her village - who she obviously had great respect for - but she sounded as if what she wanted to say to him was extremely important. "I have something to tell you…something that can't wait."

Orlando picked up on the seriousness in Jess's stammering just as Rula did. "Well then spit it out girl!" he ordered her.

Jess took a deep breath. "Emilia was captured by the Marauders." She told him, her face distraught.

Orlando's face remained set in the same calm and grave expression but Rula was sure that she caught a pained flickering as it passed briefly through his eyes as he received this news. "I see…" he muttered and then sat in silent for a moment – then he heaved a great sigh and to Rula's eyes he suddenly seemed decades older. "Where did it happen?"

"She was taken when we were both out in the forest." Jess explained. "You remember how you told us to get clear of the village after we got word that the Marauders were on their way here? Well Emilia did her stuff and…"

As she seemed to catch herself the split-second before she said something the dark-haired girl's voice trailed away into silence and her eyes sidled over to glance at Rula who noticed immediately and then returned to the village Chief.

Rula frowned very slightly – she sensed keenly that Jess had only just managed to stop herself from mentioning something that she wasn't supposed to talk about in the presence of an outsider from the village.

Acting like she hadn't noticed that Jess had given her that covert glance the huntress eyed Orlando but the face of the village Chieftain was calm and grave and betrayed nothing at all. Rula was curious about it but decided to let it go – after all who was she, Katarina?

"…well anyway, like I said we were in the forest." Jess went on feeling relieved that Rula didn't seem to have noticed that she had messily managed to cover up whatever she had nearly blurted out just then. "We thought we were safe…but he was there!"

"The leader of the Marauders?" Orlando prompted her and now his eyes darkened as he leaned forward in his chair.

"Yeah." Jess nodded and shivered at the memory of the encounter. "It was…"

"Emperor Mu." Rula guessed and Jess gave a nod of surprise since she hadn't expected an outsider of her village let alone an off-worlder to guess the truth.

Orlando breathed deeply – he was afraid for the captured girl…deeply afraid and not only because he knew just what the tyrant did to girl's who fell into his hands but because of another possibility that might put Emilia into even worse danger if…

"What exactly happened?" he asked resignedly as he feared for the very worst.

"Mu was standing back and watching as his men attacked the village – we bumped into him and he made a weird gesture with his hand." Jess cringed as she remembered how her own eyes had watered at the scent that she had almost inhaled. "It must have been a magic spell or something like that because Emilia passed out in his arms. I managed not to breathe it in but I got some of the scent in my eyes and came over dizzy. I fell into a ditch and when I woke up Mu was gone and he'd taken her with him!"

Orlando caught his breath silently as he put two and two together – though Jess had been careful when she'd described the events leading to Emilia's capture in front of Rula it was obvious that since he'd left Jess where'd she'd lain after passing out Mu had taken Emilia for some other reason than simply gaining a new slave-girl…

Did Mu SEE how they arrived in the forest? Orlando thought dismally. So does he know about Emilia's…gift? God help her if that's the case…

"So…what are we going to do?" Jess asked and her face was expectant as she gazed at her Chief and awaited his word. "How are we going to rescue Emilia from the Marauders?"

Orlando looked at her and sighed deeply – he'd been afraid of this. "Right now Jessica we can't do a thing." He told her regretfully.

Out of the corner of her eye Rula noticed the dark-haired girl blanch – but whether it was because the village Chieftain had called her by her full name or because of what he'd just told her she felt at a loss to put her finger on.

"There's no way that we'd be able to find them in the dark now…they aren't stupid enough to light fires out in the open and anyway we need to tend the wounded right now." Orlando continued. "You want that we should carry them with us on our backs while we stumble around in the pitched darkness looking for a group who could be anywhere by now?"

Jess opened and closed her mouth – she knew that he was making sense but then an idea struck her. "Hey I know…RULA!" she exclaimed and pointed triumphantly at the huntress who instinctively jumped back. "She could track the Marauders down, no problem!"

Orlando smiled as Rula cringed – he knew how hopeful the young girl was but he shook his head. "She's just one fighter Jessica – what could she do that any of our trackers couldn't in the dead of night?"

"You don't understand!" Jess exclaimed. "This girl's the most amazing tracker you've ever seen! She found me in the middle of the forest just like that!" the dark-haired girl snapped her fingers emphatically. "Rula can track the Marauders down easily!"

But Orlando wouldn't hear of it. "No." he said firmly and shook his head. "We can't let her put her life in danger on our behalf – Emilia wouldn't want that. This is not Rula's fight Jessica…it's ours. Tomorrow I will gather all of our available trackers and warriors and we will find Mu's men and rescue Emilia if we can. And in the meantime you'll stay in the village Jessica."

"But…" Jess began.

Orlando drew himself up to his full height and gazed sternly at her. "I've spoken as your chief." he rumbled deeply. "You have my orders…now follow them."

Jess stared at him – she was so angry that she was actually lost for words but he gazed stolidly back at her showing no sign whatsoever that he would back down. With a furious look on her face Jess swung away and stormed out of the room…very unceremoniously slamming the door shut behind her as she left.

Orlando groaned inwardly as both he and Rula winced – he knew that he'd have to check on the dark-haired girl before the night was out to make sure that she didn't get any ideas of following the Marauders on her own. "Look, I'm sorry about her…she's just distraught about her friend." he said sheepishly as he turned to face Rula for the first time in a while now. "No doubt you've realised that she's pretty feisty…speaks her mind with no fear of consequences that one!"

Rula smirked and folded her arms comfortably – she felt herself relaxing for the first time in a while as her present surroundings made her feel very much at ease. "That's okay." the huntress assured him as she glanced around the room again. "Mmm…this is a pretty big house Orlando."

Orlando nodded – the living room of his home was indeed very spacious and kept happily warm by the large fire that roared in the fireplace over which the head of what had once a very long time ago been a large wild boar was mounted onto a plaque. Many of the hunting trophies that Orlando had stacked up during his more leisurely and carefree years were mounted along the other wall and Rula had to admire just how many of them there were – Orlando surely was an impressive hunter!

The chair that Orlando was sitting on was high as befitted the head of the village but no matter how long she spent gazing up at him she never felt as if he was really looking down at her from his lofty perch – Orlando just wasn't that kind of man.

"Yes – this is my family home." Orlando told his guest with a proud smile on his hairy face. "My family has lived here many generations before me."

Rula's keen eyes were fixed on him. "It seems a little too big…for just you." She pointed out meaningfully.

It was true – no matter how homely it was she could feel an emptiness in the air all round her in the warm living room. Orlando didn't say anything at all – the great man just sat gazing at her and for a moment she thought that she'd put her foot in it but then he sighed – a sigh of sad agreement.

"You're only too right my dear." The Chieftain replied as his shoulders sagged regretfully for the first time since Rula had met him. "My wife died only three years ago of a pestilence that struck our village during a spot of trouble we were having. You see a serious blight had stricken our area and so our village was short of crops that season. Because of Mu's taxes I couldn't afford to pay for a highly enough skilled doctor to treat her."

The Chieftain fell silent for a moment and his eyes grew more and more sombre as he remembered the last days of his wife's life – the memories were hurting but he decided to finish his story since he'd begun. "And it was while I was away searching for the knowledge of herbs and natural healing that could have saved her life that she passed away. I didn't find out until I returned a week later having mastered the arts that would have saved her if she'd only lived for a little longer…of if I'd been quicker. My wife had been carrying my child when she passed away."

Rula stared at him and the silence that fell over the room now was awful – her eyes had softened a great deal as she had listened to the story of his suffering and ordeals that had in the end been in vain.

In a way the suffering was his alone – his wife had died it was true but at least she was now at peace while Orlando had to live without her for the rest of his life.

Rula felt so sad for the man who she knew was so strong and yet held so much pain inside him. Just like I do knowing that I can never make peace with Vaura… she thought sadly as she wished that she could say something to console Orlando but knew that there just weren't words that could do this.

"Was that the day you decided to oppose Mu's rule?" the huntress asked with an unaccustomed gentleness in her voice. "Because if it hadn't been for him then you'd have had the money to save her?"

Orlando rose to his feet – it was a beautiful movement and his eyes were serious now as he gazed closely, intently at her. "No…I made that decision three months ago Rula." he rumbled.

Rula gave him a puzzled frown. "Three months ago…?" she asked curiously. "Why? What happened then?"

Orlando gazed seriously at her for a long while and then… "We were inspired by the story of Princess Universe."

As Rula stared at him her face became a picture of sheer blank astonishment. No way… Her world seemed to have exploded all around her.

"Princess…Universe?" Rula stammered weakly, her voice vague as her shocked mind casually pondered what she'd just heard.

Orlando nodded his head gravely – his eyes never strayed from the girl whose face wore an utterly stunned expression. "Aye." He replied firmly. "It shook me out of my depression when I heard about it after Mu's visit to the Moon Kingdom. Just think about it Rula! A fighter, a warrior just like us…a Princess!"

Rula didn't have a lot of trouble imagining that concept. No way… she thought again as she stood dazed.

"It surprised me but at the same time it opened my eyes." Orlando continued in his deep rumbling voice. "If a warrior can become a Princess then what it so lowly about my people? Why were we bowing down to Mu's tyranny when we all knew that it wasn't going to get any better Rula? It was on that day that my people and I decided that it was all over – we'd take back everything that he'd taken from us since he became ruler. Take back our pride and dignity and the freedom to give our children and loved ones the happy lives that they deserve. Rula…to us the truth about Princess Universe was like a sign from above, showing us that we all have the right to decide how we want no live."

Rula stared numbly at him. No way…

"And so we fight on through whatever that tyrant heaps in front of us day after day." Orlando concluded folding his great arms. "And we won't stop until we're rid of the evil that his rule has brought into all of our lives. Princess Universe was once just like us but more importantly than that she was also a member of a group that was once led by a friend of man. A man I fought alongside during one of the wars of Earth…a man called Steel-Eye."

Rula blinked – everything that the Chieftain had just told her had struck her so hard that she still hadn't managed to process a single thought of her own about it all but at the mention of her old mentors name she was jolted from her shock. "Steel-Eye?" she asked in surprise and then hastily covered, "I heard about him…you knew him?"

"Indeed – if there was ever a warrior with greater skills and a purer heart then I never heard of him." Orlando said flatly. "Those he trained and travelled with were once the best kind – honourable and true…" he smiled and then added, "If a little rowdy." then his face darkened. "My heart was saddened when I saw what they've been reduced to since Steel-Eye's death. I couldn't believe just how low they'd slunk when I saw them a week ago."

Rula gave a start and she looked sharply at him. Hey what…? she thought, not liking the sound of what she'd just heard at all…

Orlando gazed at her for a while longer and then he decided that his guest was sure to be exhausted after her arrival on Earth and the events of her day. "The evening passed a while ago my dear…now it's night." he remarked and now his manner was brisk. "You looked tired Rula – I've got to see to the restoration of the village and make plans for the search party tomorrow morning but you really should take the chance to get some rest."

"Are you sure you don't want me to lend me a hand in finding the Marauders who took that girl?" Rula inquired. "You know I could always…"

"No." Orlando's response came even before she'd breathed half of her offer of help and was sternly firm. "It's generous of you to offer, I appreciate it, I really do but no. You've done enough for my village by bringing Jessica back and I insist that you do no more Rula. You are after all a guest of our village."

Rula shrugged. "Whatever." she replied offhandedly as she decided that the Chieftain had everything under control and didn't need her help at all.

Orlando gazed intently at the huntress and his forbidding face relaxed into a grave smile. "But I insist on saying one thing Rula – that you're a true warrior and I am honoured to have you in my home. Please stay here for the night – it's the least that I can do for you after your favour to my people and I. And if you wish then you are more than welcome to remain here for as long as you wish – not as a guest but as one of us…a fellow fighter and one of our kin. Well anyway, goodbye for now Rula – as you can guess I've got things to take care of."

Rula watched in subdued silence as Orlando turned and walked out of the living room leaving her alone to think about everything that she had been told.

Her face was awash with confusion and disbelief as she realised just what she symbolized to the people of this village and then to her own surprise she heard her voice whispering the thought that filled her mind.

"No way…"

~*~*~

A short while later…

"No WAY…" Rula muttered what very well might have been the millionth time since her meeting with Orlando two hours ago.

Actually she hadn't bothered to count the number of times that she'd repeated those two words over and over again because her head was spinning just to much for her to concentrate on anything other than what she'd been told but no matter how emphatically she'd said it she couldn't forget what she had heard from the village Chieftain.

Disbelief held her face in a numb mask even now after the last few hours that had crawled by since she's talked with Orlando – his declaration of the reason that he and his fellow villagers had decided to risk their lives by opposing Emperor Mu still had her reeling and was as strong as it had been when it had first hit her.

Rula just couldn't believe what she'd been told – for her it was too mind-boggling, too incredible to accept. It just can't be true… the huntress thought as she turned her eyes towards her view of the surrounding countryside all around the village and sighed. How could somebody like Orlando have chosen to put his entire town in danger by rebelling against his Emperor…because of me? Rula shook her head slowly from side to side in disbelief but she still couldn't begin to clear her thoughts of what Orlando had said no matter how stunning and impossible to accept it was for her. How can he…? I'm nothing special…no wonderful example of how life should be. She thought bleakly. I'm just some girl who took the easy way out by turning tail and running because she wasn't brave enough to face the heat…

The huntress was lying comfortably enough on her back in the long and cool grass that grew in a wide-open patch in the middle of the village-square. To this girl who had spent many nights of her life sleeping rough this well cultivated earth was smooth and perfectly comfortable to lie on while she spent a little time alone with her thoughts – since she felt safe enough for the first time in a while she'd left her spear back in the Chieftain's house. The huntress had enjoyed basking in the warmth of Orlando's fireplace but after hearing what she had she just wasn't in the mood to remain in Orlando's house all night – the walls of the wide living room had seemed like they were closing around her and so she'd come out into the thoughtful silence of the cool night to think everything over.

Rula's hands were folded over her stomach as she gazed up at the sky, which was filled with stars that night. It was strange…she'd never thought about it before now she realised that at this moment the same stars were shining in the sky above the Moon Kingdom and just about every world in this galaxy. Until now she'd pretty much just taken them for granted but as she lay on the ground with her face turned upward she felt grateful for their presence over her – she could close her eyes and imagine that she was still in the Moon Kingdom and surrounded by true friends and that the night she'd lost everything had been nothing but a bad dream.

The huntress could easily have done it but she didn't. It would have hurt more than she could have borne when she'd eventually had to open her eyes again and face the fact that she was alone.

Truly all alone…

Still…that Orlando sure was a strange one.

A man with his own fierce love for the art of fighting and yet had long held back from resorting to using it for the sake of his people…and recently he'd decided that he and his village had taken more than they could stand and declared independence.

Rula just couldn't figure the guy out at all. It felt to her that the head of the village was a lot like Steel-Eye but at the same time he shared a lot of things in common with Queen Serenity.

It seemed like his pride in the ways of a warrior and dedication to doing the best that he could for his people made him like a combination of the two main authority figures in her life – no wonder she felt so relaxed and comfortable around him.

Also he'd not only accepted her for who she was and been glad of WHAT she was and so Rula felt an especial warmth to the Chieftain and she also felt that she shared something special with him because he'd known and fought by the side of Steel-Eye.

The huntress wished that she could talk to him about the old traveller and find out just what Orlando had known about him but knowing that it would be a bad idea she held back on the desire – Rula knew that if she mentioned having been a Star raider then it would be easy for Orlando to put two and two together and figure out just who she was and since she felt relaxed and without anything to worry about right now that was the last thing she wanted.

Not only did she want to forget about the life that she'd lost forever but another thing now ate away at her – if Orlando ever realised that she was the Princess Universe who had inspired him to risk going against the tyrant then what would he do?

Rula cringed as she imagined how Orlando would surely look at her if he discovered that his inspiration was really nothing more than some girl who'd ran away instead of facing up to her problems – but even worse than this thought was the doubt that nagged away at her.

Would Orlando still have the spirit that he'd rediscovered after hearing about her if he found out the truth about her? Or would he lose it and…?

Rula didn't want that. Maybe deep down she was too weak, too much of a coward to face her fears but the last thing she wanted for was for the people of this village to lose heart after they'd found the courage they needed to stand up against Mu.

And as she lay looking up at the shining stars that she'd never truly appreciated until tonight Rula made a decision – that no matter what happened none of the villagers would ever find out who she really was…especially not Orlando. To him and his people she'd always be Rula, a young huntress who'd become no more than a wandering rogue warrior…and they'd never know about her beyond that.

If it gives them courage…then I can stand it. She decided firmly as she made up her mind.

Now that she'd settled that in her mind another question presented itself to her – the thought of taking the Chief up on his suggestion that she stay here for good. The prospect of joining the Freeborn and being appreciated for her warrior skills and surrounded by brothers and sisters appealed to her strongly – and this place was somewhere she could fit in. After all…it would make a change from travelling all the time.

In the relaxed calm of the night she seriously thought about it for a while…and then she shook herself and frowned. Get real Rula! she thought derisively. I can't do it…it just doesn't feel like it's time for me to settle down yet.

The huntress could feel it in her bones…

Rula sighed. What was this that she was feeling? Right she felt full of energy and ready and raring to go…it was just that there was absolutely nothing to be done right now.

The huntress suddenly remembered that girl who'd been captured by the Marauders – she'd offered to help rescue her but Orlando had turned her down, refusing to even hear of her putting herself in danger for him and his people.

But still…

Why do I get the feeling that the time for action's now? Rula thought as a frown crossed her face and this time stayed there. The feeling that it's time for me to stop thinking about this so much, stop feeling sorry for myself and do something?

Suddenly a shadow obliterated her view of the stars as it slid over her lying body and a light step approached her. "So this is where you've been!" exclaimed the girl whose shadow now covered her. "I've been looking for you everywhere since I heard that you'd come out of Orlando's place!"

Okay…personal thought time's over. Rula thought with a sigh as she pushed herself back to her feet to stand face to face with Jess who'd managed to track her down at last.

To her surprise however Jess didn't instantly launch into whatever must have been on her mind as soon as she was back on her feet – instead the girl seemed unusually focused as opposed to the usual cheeriness that Rula had quickly gotten used to that afternoon.

Something was on the dark-haired girl's mind as she stared at the dread-locked huntress with a peculiar look on her face. "What are you doing out here?" Jess curiously asked after a moment or two.

Rula gave a snort. "Getting a tan." she replied sarcastically. "What does it look like?"

"Oh…of course." Jess answered in a slightly uncertain voice. "Why aren't you inside? It's the middle of the night!"

Rula shrugged irritably. "I notice that you haven't turned in yet." she remarked.

Jess looked flustered – this was getting more and more strange as far as Rula was concerned. "Well…would you come to the inn with me?" she unexpectedly asked as she leaned closer to the huntress – now her tone was extremely business-like and the conspiratorial gleam in her eyes worried Rula not deeply but in a nagging way.

"I can't stay indoors right now – I'd lose my marbles." Rula declined in an attempt to give the dark-haired girl a gentle brush-off.

"But we've got a lot to go over before we start out."

The frown on Rula's face deepened as she stared at her. "Like what?" she asked cautiously as she wondered what was lying in wait around the next bend of this conversation. "And WHERE to?"

Jess looked surprised like she hadn't expected the huntress to need to ask about what she meant. "Well what and where do you think I'm talking about?" she exclaimed. "About our plans to head out and rescue Emilia from the Marauders by ourselves!"

Rula nodded her head steadily and there was a mild and understanding smile on her face as she put on a pleasant expression. "Mmm…" she murmured quietly as she took in what the dark-haired girl had just announced. "Mmm-mmm! Have you really thought this through?" she asked in her best 'dealing with overly enthusiastic girl's' voice which she'd refined during her friendships with Katarina and Venus.

"What's there for me to think about? If Orlando doesn't care enough about one of our own to…"

Rula's carefully maintained smile slipped into a dark scowl in an instant. "That's your Chief you're talkin' about Jess." She curtly interrupted the dark-haired girl's flow. "And he's just trying to do his best for his people…including you!"

Jess stared at the huntress in surprise – she hadn't thought that Rula might not agree with her for one second and now that she didn't the dark-haired girl felt as if the wind had been taken completely out of her sails. "Well…what about Emilia?" she retorted waspishly. "When did he think about her? She's alone with those butchers and he wants to wait 'til morning to go after her!"

Rula's scowl deepened – she hated having to deal with stubborn girl's and from time to time she'd wondered if it was some kind of ironic punishment for being one herself. "Stay in the village Jess." She coldly advised the dark-haired girl as she folded her arms over her chest. "You're way outta you league as far as takin' on the Marauders goes…they'd eat you alive, swallow you whole and use your bones as tooth-picks before you could even blink. Forget it."

Jess huffed angrily – she hated it when people acted like she couldn't fight or take care of herself. "EXCUSE me Missy but I happen to be from a long line of warriors!" she exclaimed heatedly.

"That doesn't add up to a helluva lot considering you've got zero experience!" Rula snapped. "Those guys are fully trained…you'd only get yourself killed!"

Jess's face wavered. "That's why I have to do this." She murmured. "None of the others ever let me come with them whenever they go out in hunting parties…they say that I'm not old enough to begin training so I'd only get in the way. I have to learn how to do this Rula!"

Rula just couldn't listen to a second more of this. "Oh for chrissake…would you just listen to yourself?!!" she exploded. "So you want to go, find the Marauders and rescue your friend all by yourself huh? How?"

"But I wouldn't be alone if you came with me!" Jess stammered clearly shaken by Rula's outburst.

"Forget it Jess." Rula replied sternly as she shook her head. "You wouldn't do any better with me holding your hand believe me…I'm a very bad teacher. You stick with Orlando and follow his commands because they're really all for your own good."

Jess was speechless as she stared at the adamant huntress – she hadn't be prepared for just flat opposition and suddenly her temper flared up. "Why didn't you back me up when I tried to get Orlando to go after them?" she demanded angrily. "He'd have listened to you because you're a warrior! If you'd just stuck up for me then…"

Rula took a deep long breath but it did little to improve her own temper which had been slowly rising throughout the course of this whole conversation – she was feeling utterly sick of this and even worse her head was beginning to ache.

All she wanted was to have one night without having to worry about other people's problems…

"Jess listen to me." She said and suddenly her voice was an angry hiss. "I don't want any trouble. I'm a vagabond, a wanderer. I just wanna be left alone…do you understand?"

"What's there to understand?" Jess shot back so angry that she wasn't stopping to think about what she was saying so recklessly. "That you don't care about anybody but yourself?"

"No!" Rula growled as she shook her head, trying to ignore the growing throbbing. "That's not…"

"You don't care about us!" Jess went on belligerently. "Or maybe it's not that! Maybe you're just scared! Maybe you're really nothing but a coward…"

Rula's eyebrows furrowed into very dangerous lines – all of a sudden the air seemed to have becoming scorching as she breathed it in. "You know…it sounded suspiciously like you just called me a coward Jess." Rula's voice was startling mild and almost soothing considering the mindless rage that had filled her eyes – and then she allowed her vocal chords to unwind. "Why you green, wet-eared, inexperienced…NOVICE!!!"

Jess's hair was blown back behind her head as the huntress bellowed at her and as she instinctively backed away from Rula's onslaught she looked down at it she noticed that it had ended up folded over her shoulder like a lady's scarf.

Rula was out of her mind with rage and now her head pounded in a way that had nothing to do with her headache. "The hell you know JESSICA!" she spat baring her teeth like a tiger. "Maybe I'm a failure with nowhere to go but I'll be DAMNED before I let anyone get away with calling me a coward! I've faced people and things that are all so terrifying that you'd jump in the river and drown yourself if I described even a few of them to you – hell some even scared me but that rat Mu sure as hell wasn't one of them!"

Jess was trembling from head to toe like a rabbit but she realised what the huntress had snarled. "You…you mean that you've met Mu before?" was as far as she got before Rula launched back into her barrage of anger.

"Okay Jess…you've got yourself a champion!" the huntress snarled as she drew herself up to her full height which was quite impressive. "I'll go after that greasy weasel and give him the biggest shock of his life! Then I'll bring your buddy back here and shake her in your face just to show you what a ROOKIE you are! We'll see who's a coward!"

Her eyes blazing with deadly, focused intent Rula turned smartly away and marched grimly away from the village square and towards the gateway leading out of the village. Leaving a shocked silence and even more deeply shocked Jess behind her Rula passed through the gateway, out of the safety of the village and into the dangers of a hostile countryside.

Jess was speechless as she blinked after the disappeared and enraged huntress in sheer dismay – she'd been too stunned to try and stop her or even call out for somebody else to do so and now anything that she might have been able to say was too little, too late. And now that she was left alone the dark-haired girl's conscience began to prick her – she couldn't believe the way she'd just treated Rula, the nasty things that she'd said to the girl who'd brought her safely home. Jess wished that she could take it all back but now it was too late and she only felt worse for knowing that because of her quick temper Rula would soon be in danger…

"Whoops…" Jess muttered softly – her face wore an expression of complete and utter dismay as she stared at the gateway that Rula had just strode through and into the dangers of the night.