Out of the dark the next speaker rose.
"Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lacked anything." She sighed and turned to look at another shadow in the hall. Smiling slightly as if dizzy from her love, she too began her tale.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Minoru woke up in her bed and realized that the room was dark. She had only meant to sleep for a short time. Had she been so tired? She rolled over and turned on her desk lamp. On the table was a plain white note. She picked it up and inhaled its scent deeply. Only her love used paper of that scent, a scent that was like the rain on a summer morning and the bruised clouds in the evening. Only her love used that storm-purple ink that she loved so well.
Minoru unfolded the note and read what was written.
'Out upon it, I have loved,
Three whole days together;
And am like to love three more,
If it hold fair weather.
Time shall molt away his wings
Ere he shall discover
In the whole wide world again
Such a constant lover.
I will see you at the meeting, lovely. Until then, sleep well knowing that I think of you.
Chikawa Hino'
Minoru smiled and leaned back on her pillow. Only Chikawa was so sweet. Everyone else thought her arrogant and sly, but around Minoru she was as gentle and kind as a summer day. Chikawa was her only love. Her Prince. Chikawa was all that mattered.
As she got into her council uniform, Minoru remembered how she had fallen in love with her Prince.
She had seen the other girl watching her and thought it rather odd. Minoru wasn't like that. She liked boys and it made her uneasy when girls thought her attractive. Chikawa came and spoke to her quietly, and Minoru soon forgot that she had been uncomfortable in the taller girl's presence. They became friends and Minoru stopped noticing when Chikawa looked at her with something other than friendship in her eyes. One day, Minoru got a speck of dust in her eye. With her eyes watering, she asked Chikawa if she could tell her if it was gone. Chikawa took her chin gently and tilted Minoru's face up. She said that the dirt was gone. Even though it was gone, they remained as they were for a moment. Time slowed as two hearts fell into a similar pattern. Chikawa slowly leaned forward and brushed her lips against Minoru's, ever so gently. They remained that way for a time until Chikawa took her hand from Chikawa's chin and quietly stepped back. When she spoke, her voice was husky, as if with unshed tears. 'I have been wanting to do that since I first met you.'
Minoru drew back, shocked. She wasn't like that! She didn't like girls! She didn't! But, this was Chikawa. Her friend. Her closest, best friend. The friend that she loved more than her family. Could she be? Could she be in love with Chikawa? Possibly? She stood silent for a moment, her thoughts in turmoil. But, in a very short time, all of the thoughts in her head cleared and one thing stood out. Yes. She loved her. Minoru looked up and saw that Chikawa was walking slowly away. She ran after her love and pulled her into an embrace. From that moment on, the two lovers lived only for one another.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The room seemed warmer as she stood there, the darkness seemed less heavy. Another figure stood and they embraced. The two forms were silhouetted in the light of the candle and it seemed as if nothing on this earth could tear them apart. The taller figure turned, it was her turn to remember.
"Ask me no more where Jove bestows,
When June is past, the fading rose:
For in your beauties orient deep,
These flowers as in their causes sleep.
Ask me no more wither doth stray
The golden Atoms of the day:
For in pure love heaven did prepare
Those powders to enrich you hair."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It had been both agony and ecstasy at once. Being Minoru's best friend and wanting to be Minoru's lover. Seeing her smiling face every day, and wishing it was smiling for her alone. Hearing Minoru talk about boys and wishing she were talking about her. To be with her, but not be WITH her. It was both heaven and hell, and her heart felt as if it would surely shatter into a million pieces. Every night as she fell asleep, she would see her in her mind. Minoru laughing, Minoru crying, Minoru skipping to class, Minoru offering to make her lunch.
That, for Chikawa, had been the day she had first had hope. Minoru had cared enough about her to make her a lunch. It was the best meal she had ever eaten. That was when she had worked up the courage to kiss her. They were standing there, with Minoru's face so close to her own, it had just seemed as if it was the right thing to do. It seemed a matter of course that she should lean forward so that their lips could meet. It was just...right.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ask me no more whither doth hast
The nightingale, when May is past:
For in your sweet dividing throat,
She winters, and keeps warm her note.
Ask me no more where those stars light,
That downwards fall in dead of night:
For in your eyes they sit, and there,
Fixed, become as in their sphere."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
On that day, Chikawa's life had been transformed. No longer was she standing awkwardly on the fringes of Minoru's life, trying to get in and feeling as if she could never succeed. And just as Minoru saw another side of Chikawa, Chikawa saw the real Minoru. She had seen when she first met her that her Minoru was terribly frightened. She was unsure of herself and she thought herself unworthy of being loved. She hid it so well, but Chikawa could always tell when Minoru was feeling bad. They had cured each other. Minoru now knew that she could indeed be loved, and was worthy of everything the world had to offer her. Chikawa knew that she need never be lonely again. She was not on the outside anymore and she never would be. Everything brought Chikawa joy, and every night she fell asleep next to her love, holding her in her arms. Life could never get better.
So, on that night that she went to the student council meeting, she never thought that her wonderful life was about to end.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ask me no more if east or west
The phoenix builds her spicy nest:
For unto you at last she flies,
And in your fragrant bosom dies."
In the darkness, the four sat with heads bowed, remembering what once was, what remained, and what was to come. As they sat, the light f the lone candle illuminated wineglasses crowding the table, and scattered on the floor. Wineglasses filled with rich, dark wine. Darkness fell as the candle went out. And in the darkness, they waited for the end of their tale. For when the tale was told, the day would come. And with the day came revenge.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Here are the poems for this chapter:
'Love', George Herbert - 'The Constant Lover', Sir John Suckling -- 'A song', Thomas Carew (this poem continues through the entire chapter)
Once again, if you are interested, all of these poems came from the Oxford book of English Verse. I now have colored drawings of both Minoru and Syuura. Email me at Belle- utena@utena.zzn.com or tell me in your review of you want to see them. Please review. It makes such a difference to know that this is being read. Thanks.
RosalindGanymede
"Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lacked anything." She sighed and turned to look at another shadow in the hall. Smiling slightly as if dizzy from her love, she too began her tale.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Minoru woke up in her bed and realized that the room was dark. She had only meant to sleep for a short time. Had she been so tired? She rolled over and turned on her desk lamp. On the table was a plain white note. She picked it up and inhaled its scent deeply. Only her love used paper of that scent, a scent that was like the rain on a summer morning and the bruised clouds in the evening. Only her love used that storm-purple ink that she loved so well.
Minoru unfolded the note and read what was written.
'Out upon it, I have loved,
Three whole days together;
And am like to love three more,
If it hold fair weather.
Time shall molt away his wings
Ere he shall discover
In the whole wide world again
Such a constant lover.
I will see you at the meeting, lovely. Until then, sleep well knowing that I think of you.
Chikawa Hino'
Minoru smiled and leaned back on her pillow. Only Chikawa was so sweet. Everyone else thought her arrogant and sly, but around Minoru she was as gentle and kind as a summer day. Chikawa was her only love. Her Prince. Chikawa was all that mattered.
As she got into her council uniform, Minoru remembered how she had fallen in love with her Prince.
She had seen the other girl watching her and thought it rather odd. Minoru wasn't like that. She liked boys and it made her uneasy when girls thought her attractive. Chikawa came and spoke to her quietly, and Minoru soon forgot that she had been uncomfortable in the taller girl's presence. They became friends and Minoru stopped noticing when Chikawa looked at her with something other than friendship in her eyes. One day, Minoru got a speck of dust in her eye. With her eyes watering, she asked Chikawa if she could tell her if it was gone. Chikawa took her chin gently and tilted Minoru's face up. She said that the dirt was gone. Even though it was gone, they remained as they were for a moment. Time slowed as two hearts fell into a similar pattern. Chikawa slowly leaned forward and brushed her lips against Minoru's, ever so gently. They remained that way for a time until Chikawa took her hand from Chikawa's chin and quietly stepped back. When she spoke, her voice was husky, as if with unshed tears. 'I have been wanting to do that since I first met you.'
Minoru drew back, shocked. She wasn't like that! She didn't like girls! She didn't! But, this was Chikawa. Her friend. Her closest, best friend. The friend that she loved more than her family. Could she be? Could she be in love with Chikawa? Possibly? She stood silent for a moment, her thoughts in turmoil. But, in a very short time, all of the thoughts in her head cleared and one thing stood out. Yes. She loved her. Minoru looked up and saw that Chikawa was walking slowly away. She ran after her love and pulled her into an embrace. From that moment on, the two lovers lived only for one another.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The room seemed warmer as she stood there, the darkness seemed less heavy. Another figure stood and they embraced. The two forms were silhouetted in the light of the candle and it seemed as if nothing on this earth could tear them apart. The taller figure turned, it was her turn to remember.
"Ask me no more where Jove bestows,
When June is past, the fading rose:
For in your beauties orient deep,
These flowers as in their causes sleep.
Ask me no more wither doth stray
The golden Atoms of the day:
For in pure love heaven did prepare
Those powders to enrich you hair."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It had been both agony and ecstasy at once. Being Minoru's best friend and wanting to be Minoru's lover. Seeing her smiling face every day, and wishing it was smiling for her alone. Hearing Minoru talk about boys and wishing she were talking about her. To be with her, but not be WITH her. It was both heaven and hell, and her heart felt as if it would surely shatter into a million pieces. Every night as she fell asleep, she would see her in her mind. Minoru laughing, Minoru crying, Minoru skipping to class, Minoru offering to make her lunch.
That, for Chikawa, had been the day she had first had hope. Minoru had cared enough about her to make her a lunch. It was the best meal she had ever eaten. That was when she had worked up the courage to kiss her. They were standing there, with Minoru's face so close to her own, it had just seemed as if it was the right thing to do. It seemed a matter of course that she should lean forward so that their lips could meet. It was just...right.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ask me no more whither doth hast
The nightingale, when May is past:
For in your sweet dividing throat,
She winters, and keeps warm her note.
Ask me no more where those stars light,
That downwards fall in dead of night:
For in your eyes they sit, and there,
Fixed, become as in their sphere."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
On that day, Chikawa's life had been transformed. No longer was she standing awkwardly on the fringes of Minoru's life, trying to get in and feeling as if she could never succeed. And just as Minoru saw another side of Chikawa, Chikawa saw the real Minoru. She had seen when she first met her that her Minoru was terribly frightened. She was unsure of herself and she thought herself unworthy of being loved. She hid it so well, but Chikawa could always tell when Minoru was feeling bad. They had cured each other. Minoru now knew that she could indeed be loved, and was worthy of everything the world had to offer her. Chikawa knew that she need never be lonely again. She was not on the outside anymore and she never would be. Everything brought Chikawa joy, and every night she fell asleep next to her love, holding her in her arms. Life could never get better.
So, on that night that she went to the student council meeting, she never thought that her wonderful life was about to end.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ask me no more if east or west
The phoenix builds her spicy nest:
For unto you at last she flies,
And in your fragrant bosom dies."
In the darkness, the four sat with heads bowed, remembering what once was, what remained, and what was to come. As they sat, the light f the lone candle illuminated wineglasses crowding the table, and scattered on the floor. Wineglasses filled with rich, dark wine. Darkness fell as the candle went out. And in the darkness, they waited for the end of their tale. For when the tale was told, the day would come. And with the day came revenge.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Here are the poems for this chapter:
'Love', George Herbert - 'The Constant Lover', Sir John Suckling -- 'A song', Thomas Carew (this poem continues through the entire chapter)
Once again, if you are interested, all of these poems came from the Oxford book of English Verse. I now have colored drawings of both Minoru and Syuura. Email me at Belle- utena@utena.zzn.com or tell me in your review of you want to see them. Please review. It makes such a difference to know that this is being read. Thanks.
RosalindGanymede