Chapter 14-Girl Talk, Guy Talk
Several days later, a very sly, very determined land nymph cornered a certain reluctant naiad. It had taken a bit of plotting on Mina's part: her priority had been making sure that Zacch would be nowhere near them at the time of their little chat. Setting Nath (innocent of her devious intent) on the elfin prince had been pure genius–or maybe not.
When he was in appreciative company and discussing one of his favorite topics, Nath's word flow was not only inexhaustible; it was unstoppable. He and Zacch (who certainly had no trouble expressing his thoughts) were currently engaged in an astronomical discussion that bored everyone else silly. Mina wondered if their tongues would still be in working order by dinnertime–at the rate they were going, possibly two hundred words per minute, it didn't seem likely.
But the important thing was that Zaccheus was safely out of the way. Earlier, Mina had maneuvered Seren into Reisha's group of students for the afternoon. Sure enough, Rei sought out headquarters for some peace and quiet as soon as her lessons were finished. Ami had followed her, according to plan. Mina had been ninety-nine percent sure of her success beforehand.
She had always been clever, even if it had taken others forever to discover that she wasn't all innocent blue eyes, sunlit blond hair, and a marvelous figure. She had guessed Rei's identity around the same time as Darrian had, or perhaps even before he had realized–she had just been more subtle about her suspicions.
Mina saw that Rei did her best to teach Seren what she knew and that she sincerely enjoyed working with the friendly, sunny-natured princess. And, like most of the others of their company, Rei was scrupulously protective of Seren.
But Mina also saw that after a few hours of companionable chatting, a shadow would pass across Rei's face. The dark-haired girl would clam up unexpectedly, becoming uncharacteristically silent and grim. Mina wondered if she was the only one besides Ami to see the spark of sorrow in Rei's dark lavender eyes.
At any rate, there was Ami gliding quietly up the corridor in Rei's wake, following cautiously to see if her friend was all right. Mina stepped out of her niche and smiled sweetly as her victim gasped. "Ami! I'm so sorry to have startled you," she apologized contritely.
Ami managed a weak smile once she was over her initial shock, although her heart rate still had not slowed down. It looked like the inevitable confrontation was finally occurring...
"Actually, I'm so glad I bumped into you. I think it's time we talked, Ami." Mina's cornflower blue eyes fastened on her almost hypnotically, and Ami nodded her agreement wordlessly.
As she followed Mina into the room they all shared, her eyes fixed pleadingly on the door through which Rei had disappeared a few moments earlier. "You want to talk about Zacch, don't you?" she asked softly as they sank onto the pallet placed in the center of the room. Ami would be sleeping there later that night.
Mina smiled–Zacch's girl might look tame, but she had steel underneath those baby blue eyes. "Of course–if you don't mind. I thought you would be the best person to ask about him, since you seem to have known him so well."
"If you'd like to find out more about his thoughts, you'd be better off talking to Jalen. I've only seen his actions and am unaware of the reasoning behind them." Ami's voice was bitingly cold, and her lashes lowered to shield the hurt and pain in her eyes.
"He talks about you often. Surely you must have known each other very well before." Mina crossed her fingers behind the back as she smiled disarmingly. The "often" part wasn't a complete lie...the few times Zacch had managed to talk to Ami, he had gone on forever. It constituted, overall, as a lot of talking.
Her tone was even icier as she said, "Even if I thought I ever knew him, I was wrong." Ami spread her hands wide helplessly. "It's for your own good that I tell you to watch yourself, Mina."
"I don't understand."
"You're his betrothed," she explained, not allowing how much it hurt her to say those words seep through, "you'll be his bride and eventually his wife."
Mina's eyes lit up as she thought of a perfect question ask–and she didn't hesitate to put it forth. "What do you think it would be like to live with him?"
"I think...that it would be very difficult. It would take a great deal of time, patience, and understanding to live with one such as Zaccheus."
"Will he make a good king?"
Ami linked her fingers together in a gesture of anxiety. "Yes. I hope so, for the sake of his people. His duty weighs upon him heavily and leads him to act impulsively in other things. He's very wild, you know. It galls him that he's trapped into his duty when all he wants to do is enjoy life. So he transfers this thirst for liberty to other things, the few decisions he makes that concern only himself and not his kingdom. He acts rashly, even dangerously, to compensate for his lack of freedom."
After a few more exchanges, it seemed that Ami was calmer. It was time to approach the dangerous subject. "Will he be tempted by the women in court? I hear that some of the women in the elfin court are very forward." Mina neglected to mention that the courtiers where she lived were even bolder and much less restrained.
Ami spoke bitterly in her reply, and her knuckles were an almost bloodless white. "If a man doesn't have enough self-control to keep his hands to himself, he has only himself to blame. It matters not to me whether women are temptresses or witches or angels. He doesn't have to do anything he doesn't have to. He knows more than merely a few of those women intimately, Mina. What's worse is that he makes his conquests known."
Mina didn't the luxury of time, at the moment, to reflect upon Zaccheus's temperament–did this fit with his personality? She needed to fix the situation, not make it worse. "Even if he's in love?" she pursued the topic relentlessly.
"I don't think he knows what love is–or cares what it is. Don't be deceived by his charm. The sweetest words, the most passionate caresses–they mean nothing if he feels nothing. He will make you believe you love him, Mina, and then he'll lose interest with a sharp, sudden withdrawal." Her voice was a furious whisper as she said, "And you'll be left with nothing but the pain while he cavorts with any woman who catches his fancy."
Ami's fingers were twisting together in a panicked, frantic movement, and Mina caught them gently. She held them firmly in her grasp, frightened by the wildness in the naiad's eyes. She had never seen calm, composed Ami out of control. "Ami. Stop. I'm sure–very sure–that he never meant to do what you say he did. He isn't like that, Ami. He was in love with you. He still loves you."
Surprisingly enough, Ami drew her hands away. They shook slightly, but the glacial look was back in her eyes. "I don't know what you're trying to do here, Mina. But I want you to stop. You want me to tell you what I think about Zaccheus. I will–and then we will never speak of this again.
I think that he's heartless. He's cruel and self-centered. He's proud, arrogant, and insensitive. He doesn't understand people–and he doesn't try to. He always likes to think that he's in control of everything and everyone around him when he can't even establish control over himself. He's vain. And he's a coward."
At first, Mina had been startled by the cold fury in her words. Then she had begun feeling angry herself. Zaccheus had his faults, but he didn't deserve everything she had said. The worst part of it was how precise Ami's diction had been, how clear her mind seemed to be. Her features looked as if they had been carved of ice, and her body was still and straight.
"You claim that you loved him! How can you describe him as a monster if this is how you'll deface him to others?"
It was then that Ami's control snapped.
"He lied to me!" she cried. She was no longer composed; her eyes shone with unshed tears, and her breath was coming very fast. "It was nothing but a game to him–I meant nothing to him! Everything he said to me was a lie. Everything he did was untruthful. And everything he made me feel was false!"
Just as suddenly as she had grown angry, Ami wilted, collapsing into tears. She wept into her hands, ashamed of herself and what she had said as the words replayed themselves in her mind.
Mina let go of her own anger as she hugged Ami. "I'm sorry," she whispered, even though Ami didn't hear her. "I'm so sorry."
As she cried bitter, salty tears, Ami felt the sensation of a great stone lodged in her chest loosening. It was as if she had been infected with something that had been poisoning her thoughts and spirit...but now it was leaving in her a heady rush of emotion.
At long last, she drew away and wiped at her reddened eyes. Mina walked over to the bucket of lukewarm water and wet a cloth. She handed it to Ami, who pressed it over her eyes with a great sigh.
When she felt herself again, she looked up into Mina's concerned face. "Forgive me. You were right to tell me that I should not have said the things I said."
"Did you really believe you what you said?"
It was frightening that those dark, nasty thoughts had come from some part of her. "In some dark, warped portion of my mind, I think I did believe those things," Ami admitted.
"But I don't mean them, Mina. They aren't true. I know they aren't true. I think that after Zacch and I had our falling out, the bitterness and anger at his actions built up inside of me. I couldn't let it out until now...and it was wrong of me, because the blame is on both of us."
She nodded her comprehension, secretly relieved. They were silent for a time, Mina's expression thoughtful while Ami's was sad and pensive.
"What are you thinking about?" Mina asked when they had been quiet for too long.
Her smile was bittersweet as she replied, "Oh, a great many things."
"Good or bad things?"
"Neither. Just...things I had to settle. You must have gotten to know Zaccheus well yourself. I wasn't thinking earlier. Tell me what you think of him."
Mina hesitated. Nothing had turned out the way she planned, but at least Ami was back to normal. "If you were brutally honest, then I must be, as well. I thought Zacch was attractive, on first sight, but I was furious. My parents had arranged the match without telling me. I barely got to exchange words with him at the palace, where we met. When he did try to talk to me, he was far from charming."
Ami raised an eyebrow quizzically.
"Oh, yes," she confirmed with a nod. "He was an absolute brute! He wanted a marriage alliance because he needed one, and he made it clear that there was going to be no love on his part. When I lost my temper, he revealed that he thought he believed in love once, Ami. He hasn't found solace. He didn't turn to other women because he didn't care about you."
Ami looked away, biting her lip.
Mina continued, "But he didn't turn out as bad as I thought. He actually came after me when I ran away–at that time, taking my behavior into account, I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd been wishing that I would drown or fall into some deep hole.
He's honorable and loyal–but you're right about the pride, Ami. And he is vain. He took forever dressing for social events in the palace. He's difficult, fussy, and a perfectionist–but there is someone I want to know under the prickly prince, Ami.
Zacch is different from Prince Zaccheus. He's insecure, and he's always wondering whether he's made the right choice or not. He doesn't want to be a ruler, but he's always been so strongly bound to duty. If he has to do it, he knows it, and he'll do it.
But I think....I'm glad that he's become such good friends with Nath and Darrian. I'm glad that he and Jalen are getting along again, because Jalen brings out the fun-loving aspect of him. It's been a long time since Zacch's had anyone to depend on, and he lost both you and Jalen at once. He's getting tired of being the one to support everyone else. I'm so happy that other people are recognizing what I have–that he's someone–a friend–that I would give my life for."
There was an awkward silence until Ami said quietly, "Then I wish you both great happiness."
Mina stared at her in shock. This wasn't supposed to be happening...this wasn't happening!! She was supposed to have understood the friend part.
"Yes," Ami affirmed, taking the surprised expression on her face the wrong way. "We've both seen that today...you would be the best person for him. I denounced him and you defended him–and you've discovered all his truths, identified his most valuable qualities, and seen all the best things about him, Mina. You've been able to see the wonderful person that I've forgotten, in my anger. I wronged Zacch today, Mina; I did him a great disservice. It proves that you really are the best person for him...you spoke so highly of him."
Again, Mina grasped Ami's hands. This time, her hold was comforting rather than restraining, and her smile was warm and luminous. "Just because you love him doesn't mean you should always praise him. If you thought he was perfect, he wouldn't be human to you. He would just be an image of perfection, a symbol of something that you want. You would be infatuated with him, if this were true–but it isn't, Ami!
You can be brave enough–and you must be brave enough to tell him when he's wrong: for hie sake, for your own sake, and for his peoples' sake. All kings who have had queens–real queens, who deserve to rule by their sides, have relied on them. It's the ideal marriage taken one step further: they have a partnership in which both bear equal responsibility. It's your job to tell him when he's wrong, and he'll know that he can rely on your judgement–and those brains!–to let him know what's right.
And...you should know, Ami, that Zacch and I are not getting married. Or," Mina amended, "we had better not be getting married. There are still some days I feel like murdering him, you know. We wouldn't make a very good couple, and most of all, I don't want to be queen!"
Ami looked so shell-shocked that Mina giggled. "But don't you...love him?"
"No! Well...I suppose...in a friendly way. But if he doesn't break off the engagement as soon as he possibly can, I'll hit him over the head with a chair for being an idiot–a sailor almost did that once to Lita, you know. I may not be as muscular as that sailor, but I'd do a pretty good job."
Ami pressed her hand to her forehead. "I feel so confused." Suddenly, her head jerked up, and she looked at Mina with an unreadable expression in her eyes. "You don't love him," she whispered, "and I am a fool. Why did you lie to me?"
"I only meant...to help."
"And you did. I released a great anger today...a dreadful, horrifying anger." Ami's eyes were shadowed as she looked away, her expression distant. "I know you meant well, Mina, but please don't interfere anymore."
She opened her mouth, either to agree or disagree, but before she could say anything, the door flew open. Seren rushed in, resembling a great whirlwind of golden hair. The buns of hair on either side of her head bobbed emphatically with the motion of her body, and the long streamers of blond hair were flying every which way. "Ami, Cathair got hurt in an accident–he was sparring with Aloysius–and they need you above-deck immediately!"
Immediately, Ami came swiftly to her feet and started towards the doorway.
Seren paused then and looked between the two girls. "Oh–sorry, am I interrupting you? But Althia really needs your help, Ami. There's a lot of blood, all over the place." She shivered slightly, and Mina bit her lip.
Minor accidents like cuts and bruises were common in training, but this sounded more serious. It was unfortunate that Rei hadn't been there–she knew what to do in a pinch and what had to be done right away, for she had seen similar things at the temple.
Ami passed through the doorway without another word, and they heard her quick, light footsteps pattering down the hall.
Seren's gaze was perceptive as her eyes lit upon Mina. "Were you speaking of something important?"
"No. We were just passing the time of day," she replied cheerily.
Her crystal blue eyes narrowed in annoyance for a split‑second. She couldn't say why, but she felt a storminess in the room, an unsettled quality of disturbed equilibrium. Seren had always been able to tell when she was being lied to, and she hated it. But for the moment, the anger on her face was replaced by her usual tranquility, and they left the room to see how Cathair fared.
****~**~****
One night, later that week, the girls' nightly chat began. Usually, it lasted until well past midnight. Sometimes they spoke of serious things; other times they were lighthearted and prone to giggling or laughing. The topics of discussion varied from their pasts, to their dreams, to girlhood crushes.
At first, they had begun talking with the candle blown out. There had been some comfort in that, because they hadn't known each other very well. It was easier to talk in the dark, to the dark, even though there were always four pairs of ears listening to the speaker. Soon, however, they could all identify each others' voices, and some personal security was lost.
As time passed, they began to speak of more personal things. Now it didn't matter whether or not they could see each others' faces; what their tone of voice revealed meant more. There was no relief in darkness–but there was compassion, and empathy, and it signified a greater bond of trust between all of them.
And yet, they still weren't completely at ease with each other. But they were friends, and for the moment, it was enough to get them through the mayhem each day presented.
Most of the time, it was Mina who started off their conversation with some uncomfortably‑personal question. Tonight was no exception. They were all sitting on the pallet that would be Lita's that night, laughing and making small talk with each other.
Seren had convinced Rei to let her undo the complex hairstyle her long, lustrous hair was always confined in. Reisha didn't really see the point in this activity, because Seren was only re-braiding hair that had been in nice, neat braids two minutes ago, but she submitted with fairly good grace. The blond-haired girl was in high spirits that night, chattering away freely as the lengthy strands of gleaming black hair slipped through her fingers.
Lita was retelling an exciting anecdote of the day to Ami and Mina; the former was dividing her attention between the dryad and writing a long-overdue letter to her mother while the latter looked over a list of supplies that were running low and put checks next to items she felt were necessary for Jalen and Darrian to pick up at their next stop.
At last, when Lita's story was finished, Mina clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. Very casually, she had sat up straight on the pallet, flipped a curtain of shimmering gold hair over her shoulder, and asked innocently, "Say, girls...which of the men on this ship do you think is the handsomest?"
She laughed merrily at their reactions. Rei's face went absolutely blank, but her delicate eyebrows drew together slightly. Her strands of silken dark hair slipped from Seren's fingers as the princess's face was suffused with a light blush. Lita's smile was unabashedly wicked as she readjusted herself so that she was lying flat on her stomach with her chin propped in her hands. Ami was still staring at her letter, but the pen had dropped from her suddenly-nerveless fingers and rolled noiselessly to the floor to rest beside the burning candle.
"Lita? You first," Mina said with an impish smile, sensing that out of the four other girls, Lita was the most receptive to her poll.
Lita's shining mass of rich, auburn hair was loose around her shoulders, and her green eyes shone enchantingly as she giggled. The pretty brunette shrugged carelessly–as a rule, dryads were very free and casual in their admiration of the opposite sex. "Well...Chayne has a very nice build, but he's not my type. Aloysius isn't bad‑looking, but he's very full of himself."
"He's a bloodthirsty savage," Rei added disdainfully of the tall, rugged-looking Aloysius.
"That's not completely true. There's no harm in being proficient in battle, and he's polite around us," Seren said.
Lita continued as if there hadn't been any interruptions. "Personally, I think Aurick is the handsomest of the folk, but we all know he and Leanna are promised to each other, so it isn't proper to say so. Besides, I don't prefer the blond-haired, blue-eyed sort."
Mina smiled slyly. "You haven't mentioned any of the human men, Lita. Don't tell me you discriminate against them?"
"Oh–no, of course not!" she said instantly. The flush that had been absent spread over her cheeks like a rosy sunset.
Rei, too, was grinning mischievously. Seren had long ceased playing with her hair, and she couldn't be bothered to re-braid it now, even though she knew it would be horribly messy come morning. She shook her long, dark tresses over her shoulder and said, "There are only three human men aboard, you know–Jalen, Darrian, and Nath."
"Ah. Like I said–blond hair, blue eyes...not my particular taste. Jalen's sweet, and he's adorable, but I'm not romantically interested in him."
"That leaves Darrian and Nath." More of Mina's much-appreciated contributions. "You and Darrian are sparring partners, but you seem to like talking to Nath more. Does that mean I should let him know that he doesn't need to worry about his competition?"
Seren giggled, while Rei and Ami glanced at each other and then at Lita in surprise. The dryad merely shrugged and smiled playfully. Putting a finger to her lips in confidentiality, she winked and told them, "Just because I say so doesn't mean we have to let him know it."
Ami smiled to herself. It was like Lita to be so bluntly honest, and she wasn't a bit embarrassed about telling the others that she felt attracted to Nathair.
Mina's eyes danced with barely-contained laughter as she mock-scolded, "Oh, don't be so cruel to him, Lita. You wouldn't believe some of the things he tells me about you."
This time, Lita flushed darkly, while the other girls squealed and demanded to know what Nath had said.
The blonde smiled angelically and twirled a strand of lemon-blond hair around her finger. "Now, you know it wouldn't be proper of me to tell you...after all, I still have some measure of decency."
"Mina," Rei groaned dramatically, "I hate it when you keep us in suspense like this. It's one the most annoying habits you have!"
"Just the one, then? All right, all right! Lita, Nath thinks you're good company. And that's all I'm saying." Although the others badgered her to say more, Lita remained silent, a dreamy smile on her lips.
When Mina was tired of being coaxed to reveal juicy parts of Nath's feelings, she said sweetly, "You're awfully interested in Lita's inclinations, Rei. If you don't like 'bloodthirsty savages,' what type of man do you like?"
Rei muttered something derogatory under her breath, and the only part of it that the others could catch was "demon spawn."
Mina seemed completely unaffected by this comment. "Oh, I've been called worse things than that, and by my own parents, too."
Reisha looked up, startled, and started to apologize.
The nymph waved her hand dismissively and remarked simply, with a wicked smile, "I was a unique child. 'Different' would be an understatement."
"I'll bet," Lita replied in a good-natured tone. "So, Rei..."
Quickly, she said, "I agree with Lita that Aurick is very good-looking."
"You're just saying that because he's taken," Mina laughed.
Seren, who liked arguing with Rei, finally spoke up. "Then I understand that you like blondes, Rei. Does this preference apply to Jalen, too?" she asked innocently.
Rei flushed a violent scarlet as four pairs of eyes, previously focused on Seren, turned their inquisitive gazes upon her. "No! I mean...he's been like a teacher for me. He's honorable...and he probably thinks of me like a little girl."
"Rei, he's nineteen," Ami pointed out logically. "That's only one year older than you are."
"Um...oh, right. But that's besides the point! He doesn't think of me like that, and the thought has certainly never crossed my mind, to consider whether he's handsome or not!" All right, so the last part was a lie, but one couldn't be virtuous all the time. Normally as in control of herself as Ami was, Rei felt herself panicking.
"Er...okay. So if you don't want to consider him, who is the handsomest man?"
"Aiken has nice eyes...Narain is always charming..." Finally, she came to the safest choice. "Oh, I know! Darrian!"
Seren gave her a strange look, and so did Mina–but for different reasons. She figured that Rei wouldn't confess that she thought Jalen was the best‑looking even if threatened by torture.
As she recovered her cool, Rei warned, "All right, Mina. You started it, so don't think you can get out of it."
Mina smiled. "On the contrary, I would be glad to share my opinion with you–but I couldn't care less." The other four gaped at her, and her smile grew wider. "Oh, there are some very good-looking men aboard, and I can certainly tell you who I think is handsomest...but none of them has really caught my eye.
Chayne must have been quite the ladies' man in his youth, but he's much too old for any of us. Aurick's a charmer, but as we've all pointed out, he and Leanna are having a very fruitful courtship. Darick is the plainest of the lot, but he's honest and good-natured. Aiken...well, I'd tell you my opinion of him if I could just see his face!"
She laughed gaily, as did the others, for Aiken was the tallest man on board and towered over even Darrian. Despite his height, which could be quite intimidating, he was actually the gentlest of the folk.
"As for the other land nymphs, besides Aurick...the highest praise I can give them is that I like them much more than those fops at court. Narain is quite chivalrous, but I'd be less annoyed with him if he wasn't so firmly rooted in his idea that women need to be taken care of."
"Oh, I know!" Rei agreed. "He hit me by accident in practice one day, and you would have thought it was the end of the world! All I had was this tiny little bruise on my wrist, and he acted like he'd stabbed me or something."
Mina went on to list the attributes of Cathair, Aloysius (she agreed with Rei that he liked fighting too much but in more polite terms), and Dallin. Then she turned her attention to the remaining men. "Well, you all know what good friends Nath and I are, but I can't possibly see him as anything else than an older brother. I don't know of anyone who has a better heart on the continent, Lita, and I'm so glad you like him.
As for Jalen, I adore him, but we're too much alike. Even if we were mutually interested in each other, we'd get bored before long. But I have to admit he has the best hair and eyes I've seen in a while.
Darrian knows women, but he thinks he knows everything about them. The truth is, he can be a bit dense there...and he takes certain things too seriously. I have a feeling that if he had less to think about, he'd be more light-hearted. But one of his best qualities is that he inspires trust and loyalty in people unconsciously."
Suddenly realizing who she had left for last, Mina closed her mouth abruptly and slanted a sideways look at Ami, who was looking down at her hands critically. Luckily, no one else seemed to remember.
Everyone had a feeling that Seren liked Darrian, and she seemed to have a permanent blush on her cheeks, so they turned their attention to Ami. Knowing what her reaction would be, Rei turned to the girl sitting directly across from her with a devilish smile on her face. "Ami? What do you think?"
The naiad flushed crimson. "Um...well..."
"Oh, Ami. It's not that hard. After, there are only what, twelve men aboard out of the possible thousands that inhabit the continent to choose from," Mina contributed.
After some more teasing all around, Ami finally recovered her calm. To be faithful to her longtime friend, she said, "Well, if you must know, Jalen isn't ill-favored."
Lita smirked. "And how painfully we had to wring that begrudging statement from you... Is that the highest praise you can give to a man? That he isn't ill-favored?"
As the others laughed, Ami blushed again. Finally, she said in her most dignified tone, "Fine. I think Darrian is best-looking man aboard. Are you satisfied?"
No one noticed the color receding from Seren's face. Rei was about to give Ami a break and reply "Very," but Mina had other ideas–as usual.
"Actually...I'm still curious about one other thing. You've named two of the best-looking men, but you've completely disregarded the other folk aboard. Tell us who you think the handsomest folk man is! After all, Zacch would be so disappointed to hear that you prefer dark-haired men to blondes."
Ami glared daggers at her, and an uncomfortable silence reigned. Her tone was icy as she replied, "Being handsome is secondary to being faithful. Good looks breed arrogance. I won't deny that he's handsome, but he certainly isn't the best‑looking elf on the continent, and he's guilty ten times over for the second count."
There had been time, that afternoon, for stormy reflections on her part. She could admit Zaccheus's virtues now–but she also recalled his faults and the pain his actions had caused her. There was censure in her voice as she continued, "That was uncalled for, Mina. Even if you aren't marrying him, it doesn't mean that I have to."
Rei, Lita, and Seren all sat up from their comfortable, reclining positions and stared at Mina. They started to pelt her with questions as Ami rose silently and slipped from the room.
****~**~**** Reisha had gone to search for Ami after their interrogation of Mina was complete; she told the others to blow out the candle and go to sleep. They complied, because they knew that already, the closer links of friendship between them had been forged. While they were all good friends, Rei and Ami knew each other best because of the time they had spent together. Lita and Mina had also spent more time together, but Mina and Seren were more similar in temperament.
The raven-haired girl padded along the corridors, feeling a little cold in her plain muslin nightgown. Her hair was still loose, and it reached past her knees. She found its weight a little hampering, but the swishing of the dark, silky strands of hair was comforting as she wandered through the dimly-lit hallways. There were torches scattered here and there, but as she squinted through the dusk, she couldn't see Ami anywhere.
At last, Rei decided that she might have gone above-deck for a breath of fresh air. Wrinkling her nose at the acrid smell of the smoke wafting from the torches, Rei thought that she was in need of a cleansing sea breeze herself.
That night, the sky was purple-black, humongous and imposing. It seemed to go on in its infinite, star-studded darkness. The moon hung low in the sky, so low that she thought, whimsically, the top of their highest sail might brush it in its nightly journey. It glowed a peaceful, comforting pale gold that night, and she smiled as the wind caressed her face gently.
Eventually, she was able to tear her gaze from the heavens and look around–there was a figure silhouetted against the night sky, but the broad shoulders, body shape, and height indicated that this could not be Amity.
At first, she had thought that it might be Nathair, but Nath, who was quite tall, topped this man by a few inches. His hair, too, was shorter was the brunet's; puffs of wind rustled through the short, unruly waves. Rei's breath caught, abruptly, when the silvery starlight shone upon the golden-blond head.
Jalen turned around, alerted by her sharp intake of breath, and smiled when he saw her. "Reisha...you're up late."
Now, more than ever, he noticed the satiny glory of her dark hair. He had never seen it unbound, and he was barely resisting the urge to touch the long, luxurious curtain of dark raven hair. The moonlight brought out the exotic purple highlights in her hair and lightened the dark lavender of her eyes another shade. It was an image he would keep in his mind for a long time afterwards.
What Reisha noticed was that his voice was lowered, and it seemed more intimate than ever. He had a hypnotic quality that drew people in, with his words, his voice, and his eyes. She stared at him for a few seconds, rendered breathless by the effects of his charm. She was noticing things she hadn't noticed before–the riotous waves of hair, the unique hue of his eyes, the curve of his lips as he smiled. When she realized what she was doing, Rei silently cursed her friends and their overly-romantic imaginations.
"Oh....I couldn't sleep," she lied. If Ami wanted her business known, she would have told everyone herself. Rei wasn't about to tell anyone about what they had been talking about that night.
She looked up at Jalen warily, suddenly remembering how she had tagged him as a womanizer when he had first shown up at the temple. Now, she sourly admitted that he probably didn't even need to seek out women–the majority of them probably threw themselves at him willingly. But the thought of their earliest encounters made her smile.
"When I first saw you, I thought you were Nath–because he's always up here. But your hair gave you away!" she said brightly, trying to overcome her sudden shyness. Inwardly, she raged at herself–Reisha Zuriel was never shy! She was bold, confident, completely capable of taking care of herself.
The light in his eyes seemed to diminish for a minute, as if shutters had been drawn over two glistening window panes. "Were you looking for him?" he asked impersonally. "I believe that he went to sleep a few hours ago."
"No–I was....actually, I was looking for Ami," she finally admitted. "She was upset, before, and I don't know where she went."
His expression became grave, and they walked together across the deck. "I think the best thing to do would be to leave her alone. She's like that, you know–she does her thinking best alone." He didn't say anything else, so she remained silent for a while.
Finally, Jalen turned to her with a gentle smile. "I've barely seen you since we joined up with Mina and her crew. How are you faring? You seem happy."
His smile turned slightly wicked as he remarked, "I notice that you've been spending a lot of time practicing with Darrian. You can fight better than him–but he handles a sword better. Should I concerned?"
"No!" she denied hotly, sighing to herself.
Would he always see her as a student, as his responsibility? What she wanted was to be more to him...along the way, she had thought that they had become friends. She wanted him to be able to joke around and talk with her like he did with Darrian and Nath.
"I'm not interested in Darrian–or anyone else for that matter, so you can stop looking out for me all the time. I can handle things myself, you know."
He looked shocked at her outburst, so she turned to look out at the vast ocean around them. It was an unsettling feeling to be surrounded by so much water...but the diamond-patterned sparkle of light across the surface was beautiful. She turned back to look at him, softening her tone. "Well...you know why I came up here tonight. What are you doing here?"
He smiled suddenly. "Thinking. It's a healthier pursuit than most people think."
"What were you thinking about?"
"Oh...lots of things. I have a lot on my mind–it seems like everyone has a lot on their mind. But a few minutes before, you know, I was just recalling–the memory seemed to come out of the blue–how we met."
Reisha's eyes were wide as she stared at him. "Really?"
"Yes. You've told me about the temple and how you grew up there, Rei, but there's one question you've never answered for me."
"What is it?" she asked warily.
"I've always wondered how strict the warriors are with their principles. Do they allow romantic attachments, up there? Are the younger men allowed to court women, as they do in the rest of the kingdom? It just seemed like a very chaste lifestyle to me, living all the way at the top of a mountain and seeing no one for two thirds of the year."
Rei stared at him in surprise. "Uh...well, many of the older warriors are married. Their families live with them there, of course. And....I don't know much about the courting. It seems strange, with people knowing each other so well. Some of us have grown up together for a long time. But I've seen couples together, and they seem to be happy."
She thought of the special smiles, the whispers in the dark, and the intimate caresses she had never partaken in. "The priests marry anyone who wishes to be marry. Some couples don't want to be bound that way–they make vows to each other, but of a different nature. They promise to be life-mates as long as they both want to. It's a mutual agreement for as long as they're in love with each other. But...I don't know much else about the wooing process."
Jalen glanced at her with a lopsided smile on his face. "It sounds like you've never been courted."
"I haven't," she confirmed with a shrug.
"You were....never courted? Really?" he asked in disbelief.
She glared at him. "Don't make it sound so insulting. I had more important things to be concerned with..."
He reached for her hand. "I'm sorry, Rei. I was only surprised that none of the young men there...noticed how beautiful you are."
They stood frozen for a few minutes, her hand in his and both of them barely breathing. Rei's eyes were huge as she looked up at him, and silence prevailed until she drew in a deep breath.
She smiled suddenly and laughed flippantly, trying to get rid of the feeling of discomfort she was experiencing. Her cheeks were still flushed, but she told him, "It wasn't really a matter of them noticing me. They did pay attention to me–but I didn't care about it very much. I brushed them off until they didn't bother anymore..."
"And do you still feel that way?"
"What way?" Her heart was pounding, and she felt that this heady rush of emotion was unsuited to her.
"That you don't need anyone–especially a man–at your side."
"That's where you're wrong," Rei contradicted softly. "I do need people–I've needed you and Ami, and now I need even more people–Seren, Lita, Mina...Darrian and Nath...probably even Zacch. I don't need the confusion of love in my life. It just doesn't seem very important to me right now."
His hand lifted, as if he was going to touch her cheek, but it dropped to his side abruptly. "I see. Well, I hope you change your mind someday, Rei. It's getting late–you'd better go back to sleep."
After a quick good night, Rei fled back to the room where her friends slumbered peacefully. She checked to make sure that Ami was in bed before she climbed onto the top bunk. Rei lay awake for some time, pondering her strange conversation with Jalen. She didn't notice that there was another who did not draw the deep, steady breaths of sleep.
****~**~****
That night, Ami's sleep was unrestful. She woke time after time only to discover that the palest ray of weak golden light had not yet slipped in the announce the commencement of dawn. It was still pitch-black when she lay silently, listening to the deep breathing from above and across the way. Everyone else was asleep, she supposed, as she stared into the inky darkness.
To try and fall back sleep, Ami closed her eyes and listed the medicines she knew she had a supply of on the ship. Just as she was about to succumb to the approaching shores of sleep, she heard muffled sobs from below her.
Ami eased herself off the bed with only a soft, protesting squeak from the pallet–moving swiftly and quietly was a skill she had acquired from working with the sick. She was certain that the one crying was lively, exuberant Lirita. Shyly, Ami made her way to the center of the room, careful not to tread upon the dryad herself. She approached hesitantly when her foot brushed against the corner of the pallet.
Tears were sacred and personal things to her, but she recalled times when she had felt all the worse for being alone in the dark, without anyone to turn to. "Lita?" she whispered into the darkness.
There was a sudden rustle as Lita jerked upright, her face wet with tears that were invisible in the cloaking darkness of the night. "Ami?" she asked, equally softly, swiping at the moisture on her cheeks. "I'm sorry–did I wake you?" Her voice started to tremble unsteadily at the end of her question, and she sniffed.
The naiad crept onto the pallet beside her and touched Lita's shoulder gently, making a shushing sound. She paused for a minute in indecision before steeling herself resolutely. Then Ami reached out instinctively towards Lita. Her presence lingered in her mind, just out of reach, and it was stunning with its warm, rich emerald hues highlighted by touches of pale rose.
'Will you tell me what's wrong?'
Lita was too distraught to notice that this mode of communication should not have been possible between the two of them. 'It's...it's nothing,' she desisted, answering in the same manner quite unconsciously. 'I'm sorry to have woken you.'
Her eyes were closed now, her mind reveling in the graceful, soothing pattern of Amity's mind. She was colored in dreamy shades of blue; the prevailing color was a soft, medium blue, but it was lit by glittering tints of navy, sapphire, and pale blue.
Ami's inner voice was slightly amused, half-admiring as she chided, 'Don't you ever get tired?' Lita's surprise was evident, and she went on to ask, 'Must you always be this unbending pillar of strength? You make it so easy for others to rely on you that they don't even notice that you need to conserve your strength for yourself, sometimes.'
Lita smiled weakly. 'Do you know....I think you must be the only other person here who thinks that I don't need to be strong all the time.'
'And that other person?' There was a hint of an impish smile in Ami's tone.
The mental equivalent of blushing hovered in her mind for a split-second.
'I see. You and Nath are indeed well-suited, then, if he knows you so well.'
But she could only reside in the safe haven of playful bantering for a very short period of time.
Gently, Ami said, 'I'll ask you one more time, Lita, why you were crying. If you don't want to tell me this time, I won't ask you again.'
'It started out as a bad dream. I was remembering...in a dream...what it was like at the mercy of the slavers. It was so real, Ami. And it was so frightening.' She clutched at her sleeve convulsively until she caught her breath.
'Did they tell you that it was slavers who sailed this ship before us? They caught me before I escaped and found Nath and Mina. Before they brought me here, they kept me in a dingy hut on the outskirts of the Sylvan Forest. I'd never been so miserable in my life before that. The poison on the dart they had struck me with kept me in constant pain, and it sapped my energy away.
It was only luck that prevented me from a worse fate. There was some delay in starting off, and the slavers didn't want any of us folk to die–so they started giving us some of the antidote. I grew strong enough to escape... But now, of course, everything that's happened is behind me.'
'You've done such a good job of shelving it...that no one realizes that it still affects you. Do you know, Lita, how many of the others have come to me for a sleeping draught? They need something to ease their minds at night. Those invisible terrors haunt them, as well. And you've endured the demons of your memory for so long.' The empathy in Ami's voice caused a renewed flow of tears down Lita's face, and the naiad drew her friend into her arms gently.
'Sometimes I look around me and wonder "Is this the same ship? Is this the same place that we suffered their brutal attacks?" It is the same place; I know it is...but it looks so different. I wonder if I've really survived being captured, and poisoned, and beaten. It seems impossible that I'm among such wonderful people now.'
'But they are people...that draw on your strength.' Ami's fingers moved gently across the tousled auburn tresses, the rhythmic stroking reassuring and comforting.
'I know. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I want to help, and to help, I have to be there for them. I have to be the strong one.'
'And what if one day, you can't be there for them? What if they can't fall back on you? They have to learn to stand on their own two feet, Lita. No matter how much you can contribute, how much you can bolster their strength and confidence, it doesn't help if your spirit diminishes in the process. There is no such thing as unlimited strength in the world.'
In the end, Lita understood the message. But her eyelids were growing so heavy, and the other heaviness that had lurked in her mind, causing the painful constriction around her heart, had miraculously disappeared. Her mind slipped from Ami's grasp, and her hand fell loosely onto the blanket as she slumbered peacefully.
****~**~****
AN: The Serenity I'm trying to portray in Soulmates is my version of the Silver Millennium Serenity (the three from each of the time periods seem so different...there's the Silver Millennium princess, the present incarnation (slightly ditzy, loves eating, just a tad bit bratty ^.~), and the Neo-Queen in the future).
The Mina/Ami scene wasn't the best I've ever written...but it's been revised several times and I think this is the version we'll stick with for now.
And–and a strange Rei and Jadeite scene! ^^;
I also realize that Lita feeling slightly traumatized (and you can't blame her now, can you?) came a bit late, but I sort of conveniently forgot about this scene ^^;. I realize that Soulmates, like many of my other gen/senshi stories, has been a little too Ami/Zacch oriented.
As I was considering one of the other girls for this last scene, I slowly eliminated them, one by one. Seren's still an innocent ^^ and I doubted she's ready to comprehend the true horror of the prejudice yet...don't you think Rei has enough problems of her own? and Mina was just not an option, because she's actually the one relying on Lita for her strength. As the commander, she has to know her senshi's strengths and weaknesses, and her personality (when she's not commanding) makes her understanding and compassionate. But when she's commanding, she has to demand more of the senshi than they themselves think they can give sometimes...um...yes ^^;; But I've gotten some very good insight on Lita's role in the group...I think. Yay! ^^ Hopefully, more chapters of Soulmates to follow soon.
~Ice
P.S. Sorry Kent wasn't in the running for best-looking guy...know Kunz/Mina fans would be disappointed about that. But hey, Mina's still looking for that special someone... ^.~
P.P.S. Yeah, not a lot of guy talk going on....I was thinking about the guys having their own "Who's the prettiest gal?" conversation, but I didn't want to run through everyone twice --; and to the best of my knowledge, conversations like that tend to get perverted .
*cough* So! Next chapter, the long-awaited infiltration of the capital comes up! Yay!! Action!!