"Some stories must be told for the sake of those who tell them rather than
for those who hear them."
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own Andromeda, and I don't own Harper. (cry, sniffle, cry) However, I DID create the planet and its people from my own little mind. If they resemble other characters, either in the show, other
fanfics, or real life, it's purely coincidental.
Lysation Love
Chapter 5
Semele's chambers reflected the general atmosphere of Lysat; elegant, bright, and altogether beautiful. A small table had been set up on the balcony of her room, plates of simple foods arranged on the silk tablecloth. Seamus still felt too nervous to say anything, but he didn't have to; Semele led him to the table and sat down.
"What do you think of Lysat?" She asked curiously to break the silence. Taking a sip of his drink, which turned out to be a fruity wine, Seamus considered his answer.
"I guess it reminds me of the stories of Old Earth. It's very nice, and..." He shrugged, staring at his plate, but Semele wouldn't let him reframe from answering.
"And what?" Her voice was persistent enough that Harper looked up before answering.
"Well, it's a little confusing. I mean, there are some things that are really advanced, but other parts of your world seem almost primitive," Afraid she would be offended, he fiddled with a utensil set near his plate.
"Oh, but it's supposed to be that way. You see, although a few creatures lived here long before the Commonwealth was formed, the planet was virtually uninhabited by sentient beings. Until, that is, a small number of humans from Earth arrived. Their goal was to create a form of...what is the word?" She tapped her hands on the table impatiently, trying to think of how to describe it.
"Paradise?" Harper offered.
"Yes, that's it, a form of paradise, uh, a utopia. The humans fell in love with the beauty of this planet, which was so like their own without the destruction caused by their species. Their texts show how deeply they came to love this world. They vowed that they would not spoil nature here as they had done on their home world. So they kept only a few technologies, including weaponry, since one must be able to defend one's peace. The architecture of the buildings also was given careful thought and planning; they wanted comfort, but neither did they want to intrude or distract from the surroundings"
"Yeah, the styles are nice... I'm surprised it didn't catch on in other places," He commented, looking around her room. Although he wouldn't say it out loud, the structures he'd seen were gorgeous, even better than the Andromeda. Of course, she was built to be a warship, not a palace.
"Well you see, not many people find their way to this sector of space; it's rather isolated, even by slipstream. And who would want to leave Lysat, even to try and spread its gifts? Things were perfect, until Geitha was founded," She sighed, and didn't elaborate. Trying a bite of the food, Harper found that it was good, with a variety of spices.
"What's wrong with Geitha?" He asked finally, bringing Semele out of her thoughts.
"Nothing; except that it's the complete opposite of Lysat. The planet was never meant to be settled by humans; it is only possible to breathe on the planet because oxygen was pumped into it. The government, ruled by Lord Philammon, does not serve anyone but themselves. There is no equality, no desire for peace." She scowled as she explained to him, stabbing her food with her fork angrily.
"And yet they have more people than us, and a stronger military. Hundreds of years ago they signed a bargain with Lysat. The ruler of Geitha would have anyone he chose as his wife, usually a princess of course, and in return Geitha would leave Lysat alone. As long, of course, the traders of Geitha were free to trade to their own advantage, with privileges not shared by our own people. And that is not even the worst part." Her voice dropped and she slouched in her chair.
"The worst," She continued, "is that as Queen of Geitha one doesn't even have the ability to try and make changes. The title is false, for the chosen girl is a hostage against the good behavior of Lysat, not a bargaining tool in a peace treaty." Strangely, to Harper, neither sounded preferable, but then he hadn't grown up with royalty.
"That sucks." He admitted, taking another bite of his food. Looking back up, Semele straightened in her seat and a smile returned to her face.
"Forgive me for that long speech, I didn't mean to bore you."
"You didn't. I just wish, I mean..." He fell silent again, not sure what he was trying to say.
"I know." Semele said instead, then smiled at him, and they continued their meal.
)(
"Finally!" Beka exclaimed as the Maru landed. Only Rhade and Rommie had stayed behind; Trance, Dylan, and Beka had returned with Philammon's ships to Lysat. Although Beka was only concerned about getting Harper and then leaving, Dylan still hoped that some sort of agreement could be forged with either Lysat or Geitha. However, he wanted to understand the situation between the two planets better before he put forth any offers.
"Dylan," Trance said tentatively.
"And the great doomsayer speaks again," Beka said sarcastically, turning in her seat to grin at Trance. From the time they had left the Andromeda, Trance had kept making her doubts about the whole situation known. Dylan sighed as well, and spoke before Trance could continue.
"Look, I know you don't think this is a good idea, but we have to give these people a chance. Stable planets are very rare, in case you've forgotten. They may even have some weapon we could use against the magog."
"I understand Dylan. But I still think we should leave as soon as possible. This is not our affair."
"Interesting choice of words there Trance." Beka said, eyeing her. Before Trance could reply the three were interrupted by the welcomes of both Philammon and a representative of Liandra.
Even Beka was impressed by the quiet beauty of the land. 'As planets go, I guess this isn't too bad.' She thought to herself as they walked to the capital, staring out into the blue green sea.
"I'll bet Harper's having the time of his life here," She said, grinning at Dylan, who smiled back. From behind them, Trance's voice said under her breath,
"Or he's getting into irrevocable trouble." However the other two either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her words.
This time, the Empress waited for them in the Palace. First she formally greeted the leader of Geitha and the dignitaries accompanying him; then she turned her attention to Dylan.
"Welcome back Captain. I do hope you shall be able to stay for a little longer this time. The festivities of the next few weeks will be most enjoyable, I assure you." Liandra offered a warm smile to Dylan before bowing slightly in greeting to Beka and Trance.
"We'll see how our schedule is; but a small vacation would be nice. How's your ship coming?" Dylan inquired.
"Quite well. We are most impressed with your engineer; our mechanics have learned very much from him." A woman, Dylan recognized her as Madame Pyrrha, stepped forward and said something quietly to the Empress.
"Very well then. I'm afraid I must take my leave of you Captain. However, I invite you and your crew to a ball to be held this evening, for the people of Geitha. I do hope you'll join us, we'd be honored to have you."
"I'm sure it will be a pleasant evening." Was all Dylan could think to say before the Empress and her ensemble continued greeting the newcomers. Ignoring the servants who had appeared to direct them to their rooms, Dylan turned to Beka and Trance.
"I think it's time we found Harper."
"Way ahead of you boss," walking towards them, a smile on his face, Harper gave a wave to his friends. Behind him walked Semele. A small smile was on her face, but she didn't add to Harper's greeting.
"I hope you've been enjoying yourself, you've got a load of work back on Andromeda." Beka informed him as she glanced at the young woman, the beautiful young woman, who stood next to him.
"Ha ha. Nice to see you too Beka."
"Your Highness, it's good to see you again," Dylan said pointedly to Semele.
"And you, Captain." Semele replied coolly. Not wanting her to go, Harper quickly introduced Semelr to Beka and to Trance. It was obvious that Semele would be called to greet the men from Geitha if she wasn't preoccupied, so Harper made no move to exclude her from their conversation.
"I have never met an Outsider quite like you before," Semele said politely when Trance was introduced to her. Ignoring the outstretched hand that was offered, Trance's reply was quiet.
"You probably never will in the future, either," Semele's polite smile didn't waver, but her eyes showed confusion.
"Ah, would you excuse us Princess, I need to talk with my engineer." Exchanging sorrowful looks with Harper, Semele bowed to them and walked back to her room. Harper watched her go wistfully.
"You two seem to have gotten close," Dylan remarked, arms crossed as he stared down at Harper.
"What? She's a nice girl, we have a lot in common," He said defensively.
"Sure you do." Beka said laughing. "Harper, you are hopeless."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"People, people, let's focus, please?" Dylan interjected. "Now, are you about done fixing the ship?" Reluctantly, Harper nodded a 'yes' to Dylan's question.
"Good. In that case, we can attend their party and leave by tomorrow." Beka made a face at Dylan's proposal.
"Do we have to? I'm not the ball-type of girl, Dylan,"
"Come on, I bet you'd look great in a gown," He smiled at her playfully and Beka only smiled in a why-do-I-put-up-with-you sort of way.
"Tomorrow?" Harper asked anxiously, his face pale.
"Yes, as soon as possible. Is there any reason why we should stay longer?" Dylan was planning to talk about the agreements with the Empress and Lord Philammon at the ball, but he wasn't opposed to staying a few more days.
"Uh no, I guess not." Harper said finally. "I'd better go and make sure the ship's working right." He said quickly, then turned and jogged out of sight. Frowning, Beka watched him disappear among the crowd of people.
"Well that wasn't suspicious," She remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"Something tells me he's not quite ready to leave." Dylan agreed.
)(
If Harper had thought the throne room or Semele's quarters were impressive, then the ball room only served to further confirm the skill of the Lysation artisans.
Windows lined the entire room, which must have been half a mile in circumference, and the domed ceiling was one clear window, giving a perfect view of the stars and two bright moons. Hundreds of people, all dressed in exquisite outfits, danced, talked, and ate. Music, both musicians and a small choir, performed song after song, each one very different but all beautiful. The dances varied as well, some incorporating large groups, others just pairs of people.
Someone lightly tapped his shoulder, and Harper turned around. His jaw dropped for the second time that evening. A blushing Semele stood in front of him, smiling with amusement at his expression.
Her gown was a deep violet; and if Harper had been a history buff, he might have thought it resembled the ancient gowns found on Earth during its eighteenth century, old calendar. The sleeves were three quarters, fuller at her elbows; the neckline was squared and edged in a dark blue. The gown came to a point at her waist, but the skirt was full. The color brought out the purple in her eyes, amethysts and sapphires in her hair and on her gown also reflected their color. A small silver tiara rested on her head amidst her black curls, and altogether she was the most beautiful woman Harper had seen in a long time, if ever.
Not that Harper wasn't feeling a little vain himself. He'd graciously been lent a white long sleeved shirt with light blue embroidery, and matching pants, both of which fitted him perfectly and even managed to give him a slightly regal look. Even Beka had whistled when she'd seen him and admitted that he cleaned up ok.
"Will you dance with me?" Semele's voice brought Harper back to the present, but before he could answer her, a large, deep voice exclaimed.
"Ah, my lovely Princess! Come, let me admire you!" Semele and Harper turned to see Lord Philammon, dressed in military regalia, complete with gold metals, held out a hand to her. Under black eyelashes, Semele's eyes flickered to Harper before reluctantly placing her hand in Philammon's. Beaming, he then turned and led her out towards the raised platform where the Empress and other high ranking nobles sat.
Harper glared at the retreating back of Philammon and his fists clenched slightly.
"Well, this is fun," Dylan remarked dryly. He and Beka moved to either side of Harper. Trance had decided to stay in her guest room, but both Dylan and Beka had accepted offers of clothing suitable for the event. Dylan had to compromise with just a shirt though; none of the pants were long enough for him. Even Beka looked good in her chosen gown, which was black, long, and close fitting. She had denied any 'doo-dads' for her hair, instead having grown it out a little to tie back in a bun.
"Yeah, I haven't surrounded by so much happiness in ages. It's weird." Beka said, arms crossed over her chest as she eyed the smiling, laughing, and dancing crowd. Harper didn't answer, still glaring at Philammon across the room, who after talking to Liandra, his hand still grasping Semele's, now led her back to the floor for the next dance. Sensing Harper's dower mood, but figuring some pretty girl had simply turned down Harper's oh-so-charming attentions, Dylan and Beka exchanged glances over the engineer's head.
"Well, might as well try and enjoy myself." With that, Beka went off into the crowd.
"Yeah...me too." Dylan added. When Harper still didn't answer, Dylan shrugged to himself and joined a group of various women he'd promised dances to.
Making his way to the wall, Harper's eyes remained glued on the dancing figures of Philammon and Semele. The bright, cheery music was getting on his nerves, almost as much as the sight of Semele smiling up at Philammon. He held her tightly as they spun, increasing Harper's annoyance. Then he shook his head. Who was he kidding? He didn't even know how to dance. Semele might claim that she didn't want to marry Philammon, but she certainly looked happy with him. And no wonder; the man was obviously rich and powerful. Not to mention tall, he thought to himself remorsefully.
At last the dance ended. Tame clapping began for the musicians, and then escalated into cheers when Philammon grinned at the crowd, leaned forward and kissed Semele. It was too much for him; Harper stalked off, leaving the ball to wander around outside.
Sulking while at the same time mad at himself for being so stupid as to sulk, Harper gave little attention to where he was going. A small building attracted his attention and he went to sit on the steps outside it, surrounded by shadows. He sat there for some time, head resting in his hands as he wondered what was wrong with him. He'd never gotten so upset over a girl before. A movement in the darkness interrupted his ponderings however, and he called out tentatively.
"Someone there?"
"Seamus?" Came the incredulous answer. Standing, Harper walked towards the figure, which in turn pulled down the hood of a cloak; staring at him with shock written on her face was Semele. No longer in her royal finery, she wore simple brown leggings and a plain green tunic. Her hair was straightened and in a single braid, a dagger in a sheath was tied at her side.
"What are you doing here?" They each asked at the same time.
"I'm running away." Semele said matter-of-factly. "My father built me a small hunting lodge in the forests a few hours from here. No one else knows about it. I shall stay there until I can think of a way to escape this marriage without sending Lysat to its ruin." Her voice was barely above a whisper, and she spoke quickly.
"I won't tell anyone," Harper replied; he couldn't think of anything else to say to her. Walking inside, she motioned for Harper to follow her. When he saw the strange animals that were penned within however, Harper stopped and asked uncertainly.
"What the hell are those things?"
"They're horses; my ancestors brought them from Earth." She didn't stop moving as she answered. Within minutes she had a silver mare saddled, a small bag tied onto its back.
"Well, good luck, I guess," Harper said awkwardly, once it was apparent Semele was ready to leave. Hesitantly, Semele turned towards Harper, and then she walked to where he still stood.
"Come with me." She said breathlessly. "I can't bear to think of never seeing you again." Several emotions fought inside Harper; he desperately wanted to go with her, for he couldn't stand the thought of never seeing her again either. However, his usually silent responsible voice was unusually loud, telling him he should stay with Dylan and the others. Leaving would delay their return to the Andromeda. Another voice was simply confused at how strongly he felt about Semele, whom he had known for little more than a week. As usually, his responsible voice quickly began to die out.
"We don't know each other very well, I understand that. But on Lysat, the people discovered that the world had changed them somehow. It is written in their records; the first people from Earth found that their dubious concept of 'love at first sight' seemed to be the normality here. They didn't know what caused it; some thought it had to do with different chemicals in the air." She spoke quickly, too fast for Harper to interrupt, and her voice held a pleading note to it. "I know it must sound crazy to an Outsider, but it is a fact of life here. The phenomenon was called 'Lysation Love' because no humans had experienced such emotion anywhere else. I had never thought I would understand it; I've always been promised to Lord Philammon, but after I met you Harper..." Her voice faltered and she smiled uncertainly. "But all this means nothing if you do not feel the same way. Perhaps I'm simply imagining this in my unhappiness with Philammon." Still Harper was silent, and Semele gave a small nod. "I see." She said softly before turning back to her horse and mounting it.
"Wait," Harper said at last. Looking down at him hopefully, Semele's eyes met his. "I don't understand any of what you just said, but I know I feel something really weird, but nice, when I'm around you. So if you don't mind, I'd like to leave too." He felt as detached from himself as though he were in a dream; although the words he spoke were true, none of it made sense to his mind. But her smile made him walk towards her; the pull to be near her was as physically compelling as though they were linked by rope.
"Then let's go," Semele leaned down, offered a hand to Seamus, who grasped it, and pulled him up. Scrambling to sit behind her, Seamus couldn't help but remark,
"You actually ride these things?" Laughing, Semele reached behind to take his arms and place them around her waist.
"Other traveling methods would have polluted the land. Besides, I like horses." They exchanged nervous smiles, and suddenly Harper leaned forward and kissed her. To his pleasant surprise, she kissed him back; and then the horse was running into the dark night and Harper held onto Semele tightly so he wouldn't fall off.
Thanks to the ball, no one was able to see them leave, for even the lowliest servant was given the night off, and no one thought of not going. Except for Trance Gemini, that is. Sadly, she watched the silver horse race into the dark forest that lay ahead. Sighing, she whispered,
"I'm sorry, Harper."
End of Chapter 5
I will have the next chapter up as soon as possible. I hope people enjoy reading this, and even if they aren't, I'm enjoying writing it. Thank you everyone for all the reviews, you guys are the best!
-Luna Sealeaf
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own Andromeda, and I don't own Harper. (cry, sniffle, cry) However, I DID create the planet and its people from my own little mind. If they resemble other characters, either in the show, other
fanfics, or real life, it's purely coincidental.
Lysation Love
Chapter 5
Semele's chambers reflected the general atmosphere of Lysat; elegant, bright, and altogether beautiful. A small table had been set up on the balcony of her room, plates of simple foods arranged on the silk tablecloth. Seamus still felt too nervous to say anything, but he didn't have to; Semele led him to the table and sat down.
"What do you think of Lysat?" She asked curiously to break the silence. Taking a sip of his drink, which turned out to be a fruity wine, Seamus considered his answer.
"I guess it reminds me of the stories of Old Earth. It's very nice, and..." He shrugged, staring at his plate, but Semele wouldn't let him reframe from answering.
"And what?" Her voice was persistent enough that Harper looked up before answering.
"Well, it's a little confusing. I mean, there are some things that are really advanced, but other parts of your world seem almost primitive," Afraid she would be offended, he fiddled with a utensil set near his plate.
"Oh, but it's supposed to be that way. You see, although a few creatures lived here long before the Commonwealth was formed, the planet was virtually uninhabited by sentient beings. Until, that is, a small number of humans from Earth arrived. Their goal was to create a form of...what is the word?" She tapped her hands on the table impatiently, trying to think of how to describe it.
"Paradise?" Harper offered.
"Yes, that's it, a form of paradise, uh, a utopia. The humans fell in love with the beauty of this planet, which was so like their own without the destruction caused by their species. Their texts show how deeply they came to love this world. They vowed that they would not spoil nature here as they had done on their home world. So they kept only a few technologies, including weaponry, since one must be able to defend one's peace. The architecture of the buildings also was given careful thought and planning; they wanted comfort, but neither did they want to intrude or distract from the surroundings"
"Yeah, the styles are nice... I'm surprised it didn't catch on in other places," He commented, looking around her room. Although he wouldn't say it out loud, the structures he'd seen were gorgeous, even better than the Andromeda. Of course, she was built to be a warship, not a palace.
"Well you see, not many people find their way to this sector of space; it's rather isolated, even by slipstream. And who would want to leave Lysat, even to try and spread its gifts? Things were perfect, until Geitha was founded," She sighed, and didn't elaborate. Trying a bite of the food, Harper found that it was good, with a variety of spices.
"What's wrong with Geitha?" He asked finally, bringing Semele out of her thoughts.
"Nothing; except that it's the complete opposite of Lysat. The planet was never meant to be settled by humans; it is only possible to breathe on the planet because oxygen was pumped into it. The government, ruled by Lord Philammon, does not serve anyone but themselves. There is no equality, no desire for peace." She scowled as she explained to him, stabbing her food with her fork angrily.
"And yet they have more people than us, and a stronger military. Hundreds of years ago they signed a bargain with Lysat. The ruler of Geitha would have anyone he chose as his wife, usually a princess of course, and in return Geitha would leave Lysat alone. As long, of course, the traders of Geitha were free to trade to their own advantage, with privileges not shared by our own people. And that is not even the worst part." Her voice dropped and she slouched in her chair.
"The worst," She continued, "is that as Queen of Geitha one doesn't even have the ability to try and make changes. The title is false, for the chosen girl is a hostage against the good behavior of Lysat, not a bargaining tool in a peace treaty." Strangely, to Harper, neither sounded preferable, but then he hadn't grown up with royalty.
"That sucks." He admitted, taking another bite of his food. Looking back up, Semele straightened in her seat and a smile returned to her face.
"Forgive me for that long speech, I didn't mean to bore you."
"You didn't. I just wish, I mean..." He fell silent again, not sure what he was trying to say.
"I know." Semele said instead, then smiled at him, and they continued their meal.
)(
"Finally!" Beka exclaimed as the Maru landed. Only Rhade and Rommie had stayed behind; Trance, Dylan, and Beka had returned with Philammon's ships to Lysat. Although Beka was only concerned about getting Harper and then leaving, Dylan still hoped that some sort of agreement could be forged with either Lysat or Geitha. However, he wanted to understand the situation between the two planets better before he put forth any offers.
"Dylan," Trance said tentatively.
"And the great doomsayer speaks again," Beka said sarcastically, turning in her seat to grin at Trance. From the time they had left the Andromeda, Trance had kept making her doubts about the whole situation known. Dylan sighed as well, and spoke before Trance could continue.
"Look, I know you don't think this is a good idea, but we have to give these people a chance. Stable planets are very rare, in case you've forgotten. They may even have some weapon we could use against the magog."
"I understand Dylan. But I still think we should leave as soon as possible. This is not our affair."
"Interesting choice of words there Trance." Beka said, eyeing her. Before Trance could reply the three were interrupted by the welcomes of both Philammon and a representative of Liandra.
Even Beka was impressed by the quiet beauty of the land. 'As planets go, I guess this isn't too bad.' She thought to herself as they walked to the capital, staring out into the blue green sea.
"I'll bet Harper's having the time of his life here," She said, grinning at Dylan, who smiled back. From behind them, Trance's voice said under her breath,
"Or he's getting into irrevocable trouble." However the other two either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her words.
This time, the Empress waited for them in the Palace. First she formally greeted the leader of Geitha and the dignitaries accompanying him; then she turned her attention to Dylan.
"Welcome back Captain. I do hope you shall be able to stay for a little longer this time. The festivities of the next few weeks will be most enjoyable, I assure you." Liandra offered a warm smile to Dylan before bowing slightly in greeting to Beka and Trance.
"We'll see how our schedule is; but a small vacation would be nice. How's your ship coming?" Dylan inquired.
"Quite well. We are most impressed with your engineer; our mechanics have learned very much from him." A woman, Dylan recognized her as Madame Pyrrha, stepped forward and said something quietly to the Empress.
"Very well then. I'm afraid I must take my leave of you Captain. However, I invite you and your crew to a ball to be held this evening, for the people of Geitha. I do hope you'll join us, we'd be honored to have you."
"I'm sure it will be a pleasant evening." Was all Dylan could think to say before the Empress and her ensemble continued greeting the newcomers. Ignoring the servants who had appeared to direct them to their rooms, Dylan turned to Beka and Trance.
"I think it's time we found Harper."
"Way ahead of you boss," walking towards them, a smile on his face, Harper gave a wave to his friends. Behind him walked Semele. A small smile was on her face, but she didn't add to Harper's greeting.
"I hope you've been enjoying yourself, you've got a load of work back on Andromeda." Beka informed him as she glanced at the young woman, the beautiful young woman, who stood next to him.
"Ha ha. Nice to see you too Beka."
"Your Highness, it's good to see you again," Dylan said pointedly to Semele.
"And you, Captain." Semele replied coolly. Not wanting her to go, Harper quickly introduced Semelr to Beka and to Trance. It was obvious that Semele would be called to greet the men from Geitha if she wasn't preoccupied, so Harper made no move to exclude her from their conversation.
"I have never met an Outsider quite like you before," Semele said politely when Trance was introduced to her. Ignoring the outstretched hand that was offered, Trance's reply was quiet.
"You probably never will in the future, either," Semele's polite smile didn't waver, but her eyes showed confusion.
"Ah, would you excuse us Princess, I need to talk with my engineer." Exchanging sorrowful looks with Harper, Semele bowed to them and walked back to her room. Harper watched her go wistfully.
"You two seem to have gotten close," Dylan remarked, arms crossed as he stared down at Harper.
"What? She's a nice girl, we have a lot in common," He said defensively.
"Sure you do." Beka said laughing. "Harper, you are hopeless."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"People, people, let's focus, please?" Dylan interjected. "Now, are you about done fixing the ship?" Reluctantly, Harper nodded a 'yes' to Dylan's question.
"Good. In that case, we can attend their party and leave by tomorrow." Beka made a face at Dylan's proposal.
"Do we have to? I'm not the ball-type of girl, Dylan,"
"Come on, I bet you'd look great in a gown," He smiled at her playfully and Beka only smiled in a why-do-I-put-up-with-you sort of way.
"Tomorrow?" Harper asked anxiously, his face pale.
"Yes, as soon as possible. Is there any reason why we should stay longer?" Dylan was planning to talk about the agreements with the Empress and Lord Philammon at the ball, but he wasn't opposed to staying a few more days.
"Uh no, I guess not." Harper said finally. "I'd better go and make sure the ship's working right." He said quickly, then turned and jogged out of sight. Frowning, Beka watched him disappear among the crowd of people.
"Well that wasn't suspicious," She remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"Something tells me he's not quite ready to leave." Dylan agreed.
)(
If Harper had thought the throne room or Semele's quarters were impressive, then the ball room only served to further confirm the skill of the Lysation artisans.
Windows lined the entire room, which must have been half a mile in circumference, and the domed ceiling was one clear window, giving a perfect view of the stars and two bright moons. Hundreds of people, all dressed in exquisite outfits, danced, talked, and ate. Music, both musicians and a small choir, performed song after song, each one very different but all beautiful. The dances varied as well, some incorporating large groups, others just pairs of people.
Someone lightly tapped his shoulder, and Harper turned around. His jaw dropped for the second time that evening. A blushing Semele stood in front of him, smiling with amusement at his expression.
Her gown was a deep violet; and if Harper had been a history buff, he might have thought it resembled the ancient gowns found on Earth during its eighteenth century, old calendar. The sleeves were three quarters, fuller at her elbows; the neckline was squared and edged in a dark blue. The gown came to a point at her waist, but the skirt was full. The color brought out the purple in her eyes, amethysts and sapphires in her hair and on her gown also reflected their color. A small silver tiara rested on her head amidst her black curls, and altogether she was the most beautiful woman Harper had seen in a long time, if ever.
Not that Harper wasn't feeling a little vain himself. He'd graciously been lent a white long sleeved shirt with light blue embroidery, and matching pants, both of which fitted him perfectly and even managed to give him a slightly regal look. Even Beka had whistled when she'd seen him and admitted that he cleaned up ok.
"Will you dance with me?" Semele's voice brought Harper back to the present, but before he could answer her, a large, deep voice exclaimed.
"Ah, my lovely Princess! Come, let me admire you!" Semele and Harper turned to see Lord Philammon, dressed in military regalia, complete with gold metals, held out a hand to her. Under black eyelashes, Semele's eyes flickered to Harper before reluctantly placing her hand in Philammon's. Beaming, he then turned and led her out towards the raised platform where the Empress and other high ranking nobles sat.
Harper glared at the retreating back of Philammon and his fists clenched slightly.
"Well, this is fun," Dylan remarked dryly. He and Beka moved to either side of Harper. Trance had decided to stay in her guest room, but both Dylan and Beka had accepted offers of clothing suitable for the event. Dylan had to compromise with just a shirt though; none of the pants were long enough for him. Even Beka looked good in her chosen gown, which was black, long, and close fitting. She had denied any 'doo-dads' for her hair, instead having grown it out a little to tie back in a bun.
"Yeah, I haven't surrounded by so much happiness in ages. It's weird." Beka said, arms crossed over her chest as she eyed the smiling, laughing, and dancing crowd. Harper didn't answer, still glaring at Philammon across the room, who after talking to Liandra, his hand still grasping Semele's, now led her back to the floor for the next dance. Sensing Harper's dower mood, but figuring some pretty girl had simply turned down Harper's oh-so-charming attentions, Dylan and Beka exchanged glances over the engineer's head.
"Well, might as well try and enjoy myself." With that, Beka went off into the crowd.
"Yeah...me too." Dylan added. When Harper still didn't answer, Dylan shrugged to himself and joined a group of various women he'd promised dances to.
Making his way to the wall, Harper's eyes remained glued on the dancing figures of Philammon and Semele. The bright, cheery music was getting on his nerves, almost as much as the sight of Semele smiling up at Philammon. He held her tightly as they spun, increasing Harper's annoyance. Then he shook his head. Who was he kidding? He didn't even know how to dance. Semele might claim that she didn't want to marry Philammon, but she certainly looked happy with him. And no wonder; the man was obviously rich and powerful. Not to mention tall, he thought to himself remorsefully.
At last the dance ended. Tame clapping began for the musicians, and then escalated into cheers when Philammon grinned at the crowd, leaned forward and kissed Semele. It was too much for him; Harper stalked off, leaving the ball to wander around outside.
Sulking while at the same time mad at himself for being so stupid as to sulk, Harper gave little attention to where he was going. A small building attracted his attention and he went to sit on the steps outside it, surrounded by shadows. He sat there for some time, head resting in his hands as he wondered what was wrong with him. He'd never gotten so upset over a girl before. A movement in the darkness interrupted his ponderings however, and he called out tentatively.
"Someone there?"
"Seamus?" Came the incredulous answer. Standing, Harper walked towards the figure, which in turn pulled down the hood of a cloak; staring at him with shock written on her face was Semele. No longer in her royal finery, she wore simple brown leggings and a plain green tunic. Her hair was straightened and in a single braid, a dagger in a sheath was tied at her side.
"What are you doing here?" They each asked at the same time.
"I'm running away." Semele said matter-of-factly. "My father built me a small hunting lodge in the forests a few hours from here. No one else knows about it. I shall stay there until I can think of a way to escape this marriage without sending Lysat to its ruin." Her voice was barely above a whisper, and she spoke quickly.
"I won't tell anyone," Harper replied; he couldn't think of anything else to say to her. Walking inside, she motioned for Harper to follow her. When he saw the strange animals that were penned within however, Harper stopped and asked uncertainly.
"What the hell are those things?"
"They're horses; my ancestors brought them from Earth." She didn't stop moving as she answered. Within minutes she had a silver mare saddled, a small bag tied onto its back.
"Well, good luck, I guess," Harper said awkwardly, once it was apparent Semele was ready to leave. Hesitantly, Semele turned towards Harper, and then she walked to where he still stood.
"Come with me." She said breathlessly. "I can't bear to think of never seeing you again." Several emotions fought inside Harper; he desperately wanted to go with her, for he couldn't stand the thought of never seeing her again either. However, his usually silent responsible voice was unusually loud, telling him he should stay with Dylan and the others. Leaving would delay their return to the Andromeda. Another voice was simply confused at how strongly he felt about Semele, whom he had known for little more than a week. As usually, his responsible voice quickly began to die out.
"We don't know each other very well, I understand that. But on Lysat, the people discovered that the world had changed them somehow. It is written in their records; the first people from Earth found that their dubious concept of 'love at first sight' seemed to be the normality here. They didn't know what caused it; some thought it had to do with different chemicals in the air." She spoke quickly, too fast for Harper to interrupt, and her voice held a pleading note to it. "I know it must sound crazy to an Outsider, but it is a fact of life here. The phenomenon was called 'Lysation Love' because no humans had experienced such emotion anywhere else. I had never thought I would understand it; I've always been promised to Lord Philammon, but after I met you Harper..." Her voice faltered and she smiled uncertainly. "But all this means nothing if you do not feel the same way. Perhaps I'm simply imagining this in my unhappiness with Philammon." Still Harper was silent, and Semele gave a small nod. "I see." She said softly before turning back to her horse and mounting it.
"Wait," Harper said at last. Looking down at him hopefully, Semele's eyes met his. "I don't understand any of what you just said, but I know I feel something really weird, but nice, when I'm around you. So if you don't mind, I'd like to leave too." He felt as detached from himself as though he were in a dream; although the words he spoke were true, none of it made sense to his mind. But her smile made him walk towards her; the pull to be near her was as physically compelling as though they were linked by rope.
"Then let's go," Semele leaned down, offered a hand to Seamus, who grasped it, and pulled him up. Scrambling to sit behind her, Seamus couldn't help but remark,
"You actually ride these things?" Laughing, Semele reached behind to take his arms and place them around her waist.
"Other traveling methods would have polluted the land. Besides, I like horses." They exchanged nervous smiles, and suddenly Harper leaned forward and kissed her. To his pleasant surprise, she kissed him back; and then the horse was running into the dark night and Harper held onto Semele tightly so he wouldn't fall off.
Thanks to the ball, no one was able to see them leave, for even the lowliest servant was given the night off, and no one thought of not going. Except for Trance Gemini, that is. Sadly, she watched the silver horse race into the dark forest that lay ahead. Sighing, she whispered,
"I'm sorry, Harper."
End of Chapter 5
I will have the next chapter up as soon as possible. I hope people enjoy reading this, and even if they aren't, I'm enjoying writing it. Thank you everyone for all the reviews, you guys are the best!
-Luna Sealeaf