In your eyes are my secrets
That I've never shown you
In my heart I feel
I've always known you
In your arms there's a comfort
That I never knew
You're what I've been waiting for
There's no one like you...
Every dream I abandoned
Seems it could come true
I believe in miracles
There's no one like you...
-Song sung by Sarah Brightman
(Lyrics by David Zippel)
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 6
Harper was having what was likely to be the greatest dream in his life. In his dream, a beautiful, naked, woman was in his arms. He was sleeping in a bed so soft that he knew it could not be real; and outside was a sound he hadn't heard in a long, long time; the song of birds. Smiling to himself, Harper wished fervently that the dream could last.
"I hope I never wake up," He murmured to himself, struggling to stay asleep even as he felt himself awaken.
"But there's so much I want to show you!" An excited voice intruded into his dream. Confused, he at last opened his eyes. Propped up on one elbow, Semele smiled down at him, black hair cascading around her shoulders.
"Wake up Seamus; you don't want to waste such a beautiful day, do you?"
"You mean this isn't a dream?" As his head cleared and the events of the past night caught up to him, Seamus sat up and looked around.
"No, in fact, I've never felt more awake." With a kiss to his cheek, Semele thrust the sheets away so she could get dressed. Blushing slightly, Harper turned away, examining the room they were in.
Although smaller in comparison to the Palace, the hunting lodge was nonetheless exquisite. The entire building was made of wood, the floor, roof, and walls. Wide arched windows filled the whole house with light and warmth. It had a cozy feeling; big enough to live in comfortably, but small enough to provide a sense of security. Surrounded by the dense forest, there was also an isolated feeling. For all Harper knew, they could have been the only two humans on the entire planet.
Dressed in loose, plain linen pants, a sash, and short sleeved tunic, Semele placed a folded pile of clothes on Harper's side of the bed.
"Here, I hope these fit. My clothes are too small, but my father kept a few outfits for when he came to visit. You get dressed; I'm going to fix breakfast."
"Sure," Harper managed to say in reply before Semele disappeared into the other room. Slipping into the foreign clothes, Harper had never felt farther away from Andromeda and his life there. Feeling a little guilty, Harper wondered what Dylan and the others were up to. He hoped his disappearance hadn't caused any trouble, but neither was he about to turn around and go back immediately. At least; not without Semele. The tantalizing scents of food being cooked-real, organic, food-quickly dismissed anymore worries from his head.
)(
Trance really was sorry; Harper was one of her dearest friends. There had only been so many possible outcomes; since Dylan had insisted on staying and helping the Lysations, Trance had hoped to make the best of things. With luck, they could have fixed the ship, made a few nice treaties, and left quickly. However, luck had not been with them, and now Trance feared that the worst possible outcome would occur-and there was little she could do about it.
Dylan rubbed his temples; he'd had a headache all morning and had started from the moment Trance had uttered the words, "Harper's gone". Only seconds after that, guards had stormed into his chambers stating the Lord Philammon insisted Dylan's presence. Ever since then, he, Beka, and Trance had been seated in the Throne room, along with Empress Liandra and a few of her ministers and attendants. The afternoon heat made the air stifling, and Dylan was more than impatient to leave.
"Look, I'm sorry your Princess is gone, but we have nothing to do with this," Dylan said indignantly. Hands clasped behind his back, Philammon turned and glared at down at Dylan.
"I'm afraid that is incorrect, Captain. One of your crew has kidnapped my bride and I want her back."
"A bonding is not quite being married," Liandra said softly. Hearing her words, Philammon turned on the Empress.
"And how could you let your daughter be stolen so easily? Was she not watched? Were there not guards? Why wasn't this man stopped?"
"Because he didn't take her. She took him with her." Trance told him calmly.
"Yeah, but why? This doesn't make any sense. Harper's not a complete idiot; what could possibly have possessed him to leave with her?" Beka countered, ignoring Philammon altogether.
"Love," Trance offered with a shrug of her shoulders, eyes downcast. Beka looked skeptical.
"Harper? In love? Now, where have I heard that before?"
"I don't care who went with whom! Either someone is going to return her to me or I will destroy this planet tree by tree!"
"What if she doesn't want to return?" Dylan insisted. "You can't start a war over a girl who doesn't want to get married."
"Actually, I can." Philammon spat out. "Now, if you wish to leave, fine. But you should know that your engineer's life is forfeit." He faced Liandra again, and the Geithan guards lowered the weapons which had previously been aimed at them.
"Great, now what?" Beka asked once they had left the throne room.
"We can't just leave Harper," Trance pointed out.
"I don't intend to. Trance, you saw him and Semele leaving? Could you tell where they were headed?" Trance looked uncomfortable under Dylan's scrutiny.
"It looked like they were going towards the woods, but it was hard to tell. I mean, I don't know of any exact locations they could have been headed towards."
"Dylan this is hopeless, they could be in the middle of the ocean right now, or on a completely different continent." Beka interrupted her frustration evident. They had kept their voices low, mindful of the tense atmosphere everywhere in the palace. Rubbing his forehead in an attempt to rid himself of the headache, Dylan at last said in a decisive tone.
"We're pretty much at the mercy of Philammon down here. Beka, you and Trance head back to Andromeda with the Maru. Let Rhade know what's going on, and get the missiles ready; I don't like threats."
"What do you plan to do?" Beka wondered.
"I'm going to try and find Harper and see if we can't clear this mess up without any unnecessary bloodshed."
"Good luck," Trance's tone was sincere, but Dylan gave her a sardonic look.
"Yeah...like we ever have any of that." That said, the three split up.
)(
After a delicious breakfast, over which Harper talked about his life on Andromeda and his past life on Earth, Semele packed them a lunch and the two headed out into the picturesque woods. The simplicity of the world around him and the simple beauty and kindness of Semele still sent his head spinning. Had he ever seen a sky so blue? Had the grass on Earth ever been this green? Somehow Harper had a hard time imagining living on any other planet. Still, he missed the Andromeda. Although his life on the ship was beginning to feel like a dream, Harper felt a growing sense of urgency to leave Lysat.
"So...what do you plan on doing exactly?" Harper asked casually as they lay on the soft grass near a stream in the woods. Semele plucked at the grass and didn't answer for a few minutes.
"Unless I can think of a way to defeat Philammon, I cannot return to the Palace. Unless I agree to marry him" She grimaced at the very thought, Harper silently agreeing with her, as she continued. "I had hoped..." She sat up then, her face turning serious. Sensing the change in mood, Harper sat up as well. "Seamus will you bond with me?"
"Uh...heh, what exactly do you mean by bond?" Harper asked, confused. Semele took one of his hands in her own, her gaze locked with his.
"It's a step before becoming married. A pledge to be together. It's almost like being married, except that one may be bonded to many while only marrying one." It sounded complicated to Harper, but he nodded. Relieved, Semele kissed him, tightening her hold on his hand.
They spent the rest of the day talking and Semele showed Harper the many paths that ran through the woods. No one else knew about them; Semele had explored the entire ten mile radius around the lodge over the course of her many visits.
"And no one else knows about this place?" He asked her in amazement, looking around sun lit forest.
"No one else," She promised, after a slight shadow of doubt passed over her face.
Grinning, he pulled her into a tight kiss and Semele's worries quickly faded from her mind.
)(
"Dylan, be careful," Trance said. She and Beka stood in front of the Maru and both women looked less than sure of Dylan's plan.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You two make sure Philammon doesn't try anything drastic."
"And try to bring back Harper so I can kill him," Beka added, only partially kidding as she and Trance headed onto her ship. Dylan gave a half-hearted laugh before making his way back to the Palace. He needed to talk to Semele's servants and see if anyone might have a clue where she had gone. Unbeknownst to him, Liandra was doing the same thing.
As the last personal servant of Semele left the small room, with a look of terror, Liandra rubbed her temple.
"I do not understand it. She has always disappeared, but I assumed she had gone to the city or to the fishing wharfs."
"You never asked her where she went?" Liandra's most trusted friend and adviser, Madame Pyrrha, inquired . Shaking her head in frustration, Liandra stood up and paced the room, her long robes brushing against the floor.
"Your Majesty might recall that I was once Her Highness' governess. We became rather close." Pyrrha said quietly. Liandra paused in her pacing and turned to the other woman in surprise.
"And what pertinence does that have?" She snapped, edgy and worried for her empire.
"Her Highness confided much in me. Once she tried to escape and I followed her. When she realized she was being watched she confronted me and told me where she was going-I was concerned for her safety, you see-and then she swore me to secrecy," Pyrrha smiled at her Empress.
"So you can find her?" Liandra asked eagerly. Hesitating for a moment, Pyrrha finally nodded.
"Yes, I know where she is,"
Liandra's eyes glittered in triumph.
)(
"Golan, how long will it take to mobilize the first and third legions?" On Geitha, First Minister Golan stared at the communication device held in his hand with surprise.
"Ex-excuse me My Lord?" He stammered. Of course he had kept in touch with events happening on Lysat. Indeed, the entire council had, and many were crying for the return of the Princess-or blood.
"Don't be stupid Golan, I need to know how long it would take," Even over such a long distance, Philammon's voice crackled with anger and impatience. Swallowing, Golan did a quick calculation.
"At least two days, My Lord," He replied.
"That's not fast enough." Silence and static filled the room.
"Not fast enough for what?" Golan finally asked in curiosity. At the other end of the communication, Philammon smiled maliciously.
"I want all three capitals of Lysat to be burned to the ground by tomorrow night and complete control of the planet to be mine. Make sure it happens." With that, Philammon turned the communicator off. He'd always wanted to rule Lysat as well as Geitha; now he had the perfect excuse to do so.
)(
The bonding ceremony was solemn. Both Harper and Semele had washed in the river earlier, and Semele had found a nice gown to wear for the occasion. For Harper she had another set of her father's clothes, which seemed to fit fairly well. Hands entwined, the two repeated the vows each had decided upon. All in all it was over quickly, and although only the two of them had been present, Semele assured him it was still a legal and proper binding. At the end, she had smiled and slid a torque of gold around his neck.
"What's this?" Harper asked, looking at it curiously in the mirror. "It looks like a necklace," Laughing, Semele wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder.
"It's a symbol, to let everyone know you are a future Prince of Lysat."
"Really?" Harper said in surprise. "So that means I'm royalty?"
"Pretty much. And someday our children will be as well."
"Children?!" Harper turned in fright, eyes round. Semele raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you can't expect to spend every night like last and not end up having a family someday,"
"You say all this like you expect to live on Lysat in the future," Harper pointed out. He wasn't trying to be mean, but earlier they had discussed the future and neither could find a way for Semele to safely stay on Lysat. Besides, Harper wanted to return to the Andromeda.
Feeling suddenly cold, Semele turned away.
"You're right of course. It's just... I never really pictured myself living anywhere other than Lysat. Even when I accepted the fact that I would have to live in Geitha, I always imagined that I would someday die before actually leaving the planet." Harper rested a comforting hand on her shoulder awkwardly.
"I get it...everything's been happening so fast. It's a little hard to get used to," He agreed.
"Are you sure I'll be welcome on your ship?" Semele asked in a small voice.
"Of course you will. They'll love you, especially Rommie. Just wait till I show you the engineering rooms..and the obs deck! It's really amazing Semele, trust me," Giving him a small smile, Semele nodded in resolution.
"As long as I can be with you, I'm happy, Seamus,"
"Same here," They grinned at each other, picturing their bright future that was reflected in each other's eyes.
End of Chapter 6
I'm so sorry this took so long to write! Chapter 7 will probably take even longer. It's not my fault though! School is evil and I have many, many tests next week. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it.
-Luna Sealeaf
Runicprincessaol.com
That I've never shown you
In my heart I feel
I've always known you
In your arms there's a comfort
That I never knew
You're what I've been waiting for
There's no one like you...
Every dream I abandoned
Seems it could come true
I believe in miracles
There's no one like you...
-Song sung by Sarah Brightman
(Lyrics by David Zippel)
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 6
Harper was having what was likely to be the greatest dream in his life. In his dream, a beautiful, naked, woman was in his arms. He was sleeping in a bed so soft that he knew it could not be real; and outside was a sound he hadn't heard in a long, long time; the song of birds. Smiling to himself, Harper wished fervently that the dream could last.
"I hope I never wake up," He murmured to himself, struggling to stay asleep even as he felt himself awaken.
"But there's so much I want to show you!" An excited voice intruded into his dream. Confused, he at last opened his eyes. Propped up on one elbow, Semele smiled down at him, black hair cascading around her shoulders.
"Wake up Seamus; you don't want to waste such a beautiful day, do you?"
"You mean this isn't a dream?" As his head cleared and the events of the past night caught up to him, Seamus sat up and looked around.
"No, in fact, I've never felt more awake." With a kiss to his cheek, Semele thrust the sheets away so she could get dressed. Blushing slightly, Harper turned away, examining the room they were in.
Although smaller in comparison to the Palace, the hunting lodge was nonetheless exquisite. The entire building was made of wood, the floor, roof, and walls. Wide arched windows filled the whole house with light and warmth. It had a cozy feeling; big enough to live in comfortably, but small enough to provide a sense of security. Surrounded by the dense forest, there was also an isolated feeling. For all Harper knew, they could have been the only two humans on the entire planet.
Dressed in loose, plain linen pants, a sash, and short sleeved tunic, Semele placed a folded pile of clothes on Harper's side of the bed.
"Here, I hope these fit. My clothes are too small, but my father kept a few outfits for when he came to visit. You get dressed; I'm going to fix breakfast."
"Sure," Harper managed to say in reply before Semele disappeared into the other room. Slipping into the foreign clothes, Harper had never felt farther away from Andromeda and his life there. Feeling a little guilty, Harper wondered what Dylan and the others were up to. He hoped his disappearance hadn't caused any trouble, but neither was he about to turn around and go back immediately. At least; not without Semele. The tantalizing scents of food being cooked-real, organic, food-quickly dismissed anymore worries from his head.
)(
Trance really was sorry; Harper was one of her dearest friends. There had only been so many possible outcomes; since Dylan had insisted on staying and helping the Lysations, Trance had hoped to make the best of things. With luck, they could have fixed the ship, made a few nice treaties, and left quickly. However, luck had not been with them, and now Trance feared that the worst possible outcome would occur-and there was little she could do about it.
Dylan rubbed his temples; he'd had a headache all morning and had started from the moment Trance had uttered the words, "Harper's gone". Only seconds after that, guards had stormed into his chambers stating the Lord Philammon insisted Dylan's presence. Ever since then, he, Beka, and Trance had been seated in the Throne room, along with Empress Liandra and a few of her ministers and attendants. The afternoon heat made the air stifling, and Dylan was more than impatient to leave.
"Look, I'm sorry your Princess is gone, but we have nothing to do with this," Dylan said indignantly. Hands clasped behind his back, Philammon turned and glared at down at Dylan.
"I'm afraid that is incorrect, Captain. One of your crew has kidnapped my bride and I want her back."
"A bonding is not quite being married," Liandra said softly. Hearing her words, Philammon turned on the Empress.
"And how could you let your daughter be stolen so easily? Was she not watched? Were there not guards? Why wasn't this man stopped?"
"Because he didn't take her. She took him with her." Trance told him calmly.
"Yeah, but why? This doesn't make any sense. Harper's not a complete idiot; what could possibly have possessed him to leave with her?" Beka countered, ignoring Philammon altogether.
"Love," Trance offered with a shrug of her shoulders, eyes downcast. Beka looked skeptical.
"Harper? In love? Now, where have I heard that before?"
"I don't care who went with whom! Either someone is going to return her to me or I will destroy this planet tree by tree!"
"What if she doesn't want to return?" Dylan insisted. "You can't start a war over a girl who doesn't want to get married."
"Actually, I can." Philammon spat out. "Now, if you wish to leave, fine. But you should know that your engineer's life is forfeit." He faced Liandra again, and the Geithan guards lowered the weapons which had previously been aimed at them.
"Great, now what?" Beka asked once they had left the throne room.
"We can't just leave Harper," Trance pointed out.
"I don't intend to. Trance, you saw him and Semele leaving? Could you tell where they were headed?" Trance looked uncomfortable under Dylan's scrutiny.
"It looked like they were going towards the woods, but it was hard to tell. I mean, I don't know of any exact locations they could have been headed towards."
"Dylan this is hopeless, they could be in the middle of the ocean right now, or on a completely different continent." Beka interrupted her frustration evident. They had kept their voices low, mindful of the tense atmosphere everywhere in the palace. Rubbing his forehead in an attempt to rid himself of the headache, Dylan at last said in a decisive tone.
"We're pretty much at the mercy of Philammon down here. Beka, you and Trance head back to Andromeda with the Maru. Let Rhade know what's going on, and get the missiles ready; I don't like threats."
"What do you plan to do?" Beka wondered.
"I'm going to try and find Harper and see if we can't clear this mess up without any unnecessary bloodshed."
"Good luck," Trance's tone was sincere, but Dylan gave her a sardonic look.
"Yeah...like we ever have any of that." That said, the three split up.
)(
After a delicious breakfast, over which Harper talked about his life on Andromeda and his past life on Earth, Semele packed them a lunch and the two headed out into the picturesque woods. The simplicity of the world around him and the simple beauty and kindness of Semele still sent his head spinning. Had he ever seen a sky so blue? Had the grass on Earth ever been this green? Somehow Harper had a hard time imagining living on any other planet. Still, he missed the Andromeda. Although his life on the ship was beginning to feel like a dream, Harper felt a growing sense of urgency to leave Lysat.
"So...what do you plan on doing exactly?" Harper asked casually as they lay on the soft grass near a stream in the woods. Semele plucked at the grass and didn't answer for a few minutes.
"Unless I can think of a way to defeat Philammon, I cannot return to the Palace. Unless I agree to marry him" She grimaced at the very thought, Harper silently agreeing with her, as she continued. "I had hoped..." She sat up then, her face turning serious. Sensing the change in mood, Harper sat up as well. "Seamus will you bond with me?"
"Uh...heh, what exactly do you mean by bond?" Harper asked, confused. Semele took one of his hands in her own, her gaze locked with his.
"It's a step before becoming married. A pledge to be together. It's almost like being married, except that one may be bonded to many while only marrying one." It sounded complicated to Harper, but he nodded. Relieved, Semele kissed him, tightening her hold on his hand.
They spent the rest of the day talking and Semele showed Harper the many paths that ran through the woods. No one else knew about them; Semele had explored the entire ten mile radius around the lodge over the course of her many visits.
"And no one else knows about this place?" He asked her in amazement, looking around sun lit forest.
"No one else," She promised, after a slight shadow of doubt passed over her face.
Grinning, he pulled her into a tight kiss and Semele's worries quickly faded from her mind.
)(
"Dylan, be careful," Trance said. She and Beka stood in front of the Maru and both women looked less than sure of Dylan's plan.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You two make sure Philammon doesn't try anything drastic."
"And try to bring back Harper so I can kill him," Beka added, only partially kidding as she and Trance headed onto her ship. Dylan gave a half-hearted laugh before making his way back to the Palace. He needed to talk to Semele's servants and see if anyone might have a clue where she had gone. Unbeknownst to him, Liandra was doing the same thing.
As the last personal servant of Semele left the small room, with a look of terror, Liandra rubbed her temple.
"I do not understand it. She has always disappeared, but I assumed she had gone to the city or to the fishing wharfs."
"You never asked her where she went?" Liandra's most trusted friend and adviser, Madame Pyrrha, inquired . Shaking her head in frustration, Liandra stood up and paced the room, her long robes brushing against the floor.
"Your Majesty might recall that I was once Her Highness' governess. We became rather close." Pyrrha said quietly. Liandra paused in her pacing and turned to the other woman in surprise.
"And what pertinence does that have?" She snapped, edgy and worried for her empire.
"Her Highness confided much in me. Once she tried to escape and I followed her. When she realized she was being watched she confronted me and told me where she was going-I was concerned for her safety, you see-and then she swore me to secrecy," Pyrrha smiled at her Empress.
"So you can find her?" Liandra asked eagerly. Hesitating for a moment, Pyrrha finally nodded.
"Yes, I know where she is,"
Liandra's eyes glittered in triumph.
)(
"Golan, how long will it take to mobilize the first and third legions?" On Geitha, First Minister Golan stared at the communication device held in his hand with surprise.
"Ex-excuse me My Lord?" He stammered. Of course he had kept in touch with events happening on Lysat. Indeed, the entire council had, and many were crying for the return of the Princess-or blood.
"Don't be stupid Golan, I need to know how long it would take," Even over such a long distance, Philammon's voice crackled with anger and impatience. Swallowing, Golan did a quick calculation.
"At least two days, My Lord," He replied.
"That's not fast enough." Silence and static filled the room.
"Not fast enough for what?" Golan finally asked in curiosity. At the other end of the communication, Philammon smiled maliciously.
"I want all three capitals of Lysat to be burned to the ground by tomorrow night and complete control of the planet to be mine. Make sure it happens." With that, Philammon turned the communicator off. He'd always wanted to rule Lysat as well as Geitha; now he had the perfect excuse to do so.
)(
The bonding ceremony was solemn. Both Harper and Semele had washed in the river earlier, and Semele had found a nice gown to wear for the occasion. For Harper she had another set of her father's clothes, which seemed to fit fairly well. Hands entwined, the two repeated the vows each had decided upon. All in all it was over quickly, and although only the two of them had been present, Semele assured him it was still a legal and proper binding. At the end, she had smiled and slid a torque of gold around his neck.
"What's this?" Harper asked, looking at it curiously in the mirror. "It looks like a necklace," Laughing, Semele wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder.
"It's a symbol, to let everyone know you are a future Prince of Lysat."
"Really?" Harper said in surprise. "So that means I'm royalty?"
"Pretty much. And someday our children will be as well."
"Children?!" Harper turned in fright, eyes round. Semele raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you can't expect to spend every night like last and not end up having a family someday,"
"You say all this like you expect to live on Lysat in the future," Harper pointed out. He wasn't trying to be mean, but earlier they had discussed the future and neither could find a way for Semele to safely stay on Lysat. Besides, Harper wanted to return to the Andromeda.
Feeling suddenly cold, Semele turned away.
"You're right of course. It's just... I never really pictured myself living anywhere other than Lysat. Even when I accepted the fact that I would have to live in Geitha, I always imagined that I would someday die before actually leaving the planet." Harper rested a comforting hand on her shoulder awkwardly.
"I get it...everything's been happening so fast. It's a little hard to get used to," He agreed.
"Are you sure I'll be welcome on your ship?" Semele asked in a small voice.
"Of course you will. They'll love you, especially Rommie. Just wait till I show you the engineering rooms..and the obs deck! It's really amazing Semele, trust me," Giving him a small smile, Semele nodded in resolution.
"As long as I can be with you, I'm happy, Seamus,"
"Same here," They grinned at each other, picturing their bright future that was reflected in each other's eyes.
End of Chapter 6
I'm so sorry this took so long to write! Chapter 7 will probably take even longer. It's not my fault though! School is evil and I have many, many tests next week. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it.
-Luna Sealeaf
Runicprincessaol.com