Moon Light Nights
Chapter 8
By: Moondreams
"Witch, Witch, Outlander Witch," a voice chanted. Sharai jerked away finding she was almost squeezing the feathers out of one of the pillows. She shook her head trying to get the voice from her head. People feared magic. It had been apparent during the trials. Had she cheated? She had no control over the crescent moon. She raised a clammy hand to her forehead. The tent was dark, she could hear Nadia's heavy breathing near by. She shivered and groped her way out of the tent. She pulled back the flap and was met by comforting moonlight. She rubbed her arms as the wind whipped unmercifully around her. The sands of the desert had turned to silver dust from the moonlight which spree over everything in the night. She looked up at the moon and sighed. How ironic, she had spent many hours back at home watching the earth rise. Now it was completely different. She wondered briefly if she'd be able to see the desert when she went back. It was so wild and so free. A harsh mistress, yes, but still it filled her to the brim with respect for the untamed land. She sighed again as she lifted her head to face the desert. She raced across the sand barefoot while the wind blew threatening to knock her from her feet. "I am fine you know!" she yelled up at the moon. "Are you looking for me still, Mother?" she asked. She laid down and thought wistfully of snow angels for it snowed on the moon. "Are you disappointed that I haven't married Andrew? Does he even care any more that I am gone? I knew you meant well for me and Andrew would've taken care of me, but my heart wouldn't have been content. You knew that! There had to be something more! I am grown now but I still need you." she broke off. She curled into a fetus position and sobbed. She needed her mother for comfort. She needed to tell her mother that she was fine. Did her mother grieve fearing her only daughter dead? She closed her eyes and cried herself to sleep.
Sharai opened her eyes. Someone was gently stroking her hair. She turned her head a little and a woman smiled down at her. "Mother!" Sharai shouted with joy embracing the older woman. "My darling," Queen Serenity cooed and held her child closely. "I've missed you so," Sharai sobbed on the shoulder of her mother. "I know darling. I long to hold you for real. But now is not the time. I am so proud of you," Queen Serenity smiled warmly at her daughter. Her daughter had grown up. Serenity didn't know whether to smile or cry. Her daughter was growing up. "Darling, I am afraid I can't stay long, now listen to me," she commanded and raised Sharai's chin till their eyes met. "You have a choice to make which I can't make for you. Don't be sad Serenity. You are the moon princess and you'll do what's right," Queen Serenity said softly. "But mother they think I am a witch," Sharai huffed. "Go now, darling. He's calling for you. Be happy and we will be together again," said Serenity as she faded. Sharai protested and reached out to grab her mother but just grabbed on to air. "No don't' go," she cried and felt the tears roll down her checks. "I don't want to be alone," she sobbed.
"Sharai," a male voice called to her gently. Sharai jerked and felt her hand impact with something. Her eyes immediately shot open. "I am sorry.oh, its you," she said as she looked up at Endymion kneeling over her rubbing his check. "Do you slap everyone who tries to wake you up?" he asked frowning down at her. "Only the first time. They usually get the hint after that and don't try to wake me," she replied with a wry smile. Endymion couldn't help but grin as he sat down beside her. There was silence between them for a few minutes. "Jeriah has never been prouder, you know. He's been bragging all over the camp. So have my knights, you've stolen their hearts," Endymion commented. Sharai said nothing but nodded as she stared out at the desert dunes not willing to look at Endymion. "Once we reach the City the knighting ceremony will take place. You're friends Gavin, Elidi and the little girl are coming as well," Endymion commented. "Her name is Brat," Sharai spoke up. She glanced at Endymion, he was so serious at times and yet could be so light hearted at others. "Unfortunate name to be given," he laughed. "I thought that is what Jeriah said her name was but I didn't think it was right," he continued. "I think its just a nickname." "Oh" Sharai sighed and started to pick at the corner of her sash that was beginning to come unraveled. He was just inches away. His musky smell filled her nostrils and she could almost feel his breath on her check. "I am sorry," Endymion murmured breaking the silence yet again. Sharai jerked her head up so fast she felt like she had just suffered from whiplash. "What?" she asked. He turned to face her. His dark blue eyes scanned her face. "I said I was sorry. How many times do you want me to say it, woman?" he growled at her. Sharai crossed her arms. "Don't get mad at me and my name is not woman. Call me Sharai or Serenity but not woman!" she yelled at him and turned away from him. She turned to glance over her shoulder. "What are you sorry for?" she asked. Endymion frowned at her. "What do you think I am sorry for, woman?" he asked her. "Let's see maybe for being such an arrogant." Endymion cut her off by a kiss. Her heart slammed in her chest and the blood pounded in her ears. The whole world stood still for a brief second and then he pulled away. Sharai felt the blood rush up from her neck to her temple. "I would've never have stolen you if I'd thought you'd come on your own. But you being an Outlander made things difficult. Every one of us will be destroyed without your help. It tears me up to know that I can't defend my people," he said holding her close . "I realized I couldn't do my job. I have been trained for this from birth yet I can not prevent our extinction," he continued. "Who is this great evil that would do this?" she asked. "I don't know yet. Yet it looms over the distance like a great dark cloud," Endymion explained. Serenity pulled back in horror. "You mean for all you know it could be Outlanders we are going to be fighting!" she gasped and started to back away slowly. Endymion grabbed her wrists. "I doubt it, this is bigger then just the spats of Outlanders and my people. Long ago there was a great stone was held by a great king that ruled over the earth and all its tribes. He was a just man and lived to be a great old age. Yet he feared there would be trouble if the stone would fall in the wrong hands. So to keep that from happening he gave each of his three children a piece. It has been handed down from generation to generation inside of us. I am the descent of the eldest. Yet one child was evil so his brothers entombed their brother to protect the earth from harm. Someone soon will find the third stone and seek out and take revenge on the other two," Endymion explained. Sharai shook her head. "No that's not possible. Nothing like that happens any more. It can possibly." she muttered and shook her head again and again. "Serenity! You of all people know its possible. What you did at the trials." "What I did was cheating. They're right. I have no right to be the champion of the trails," Sharai moaned. "No! It's proof that we do need you," he protested. He reached up and combed her bangs away from her forehead. He gently touched the spot where the crescent moon had appeared. "Why does it appear? What shape is it?" he asked softly. "I don't know..I better get back Nadia will be worried." she said as she pulled away and started walking toward the camp. Endymion grabbed her hand. "Nadia is still asleep no doubt," he assured her and leaned closer to kiss her. Sharai jerked away leaning a very stunned Endymion. "I can't do this," she told him and started walking toward the camp again. "Why not?" he yelled after her. "Because you're married!" she yelled back and broke out in dead run till she reached the camp. Endymion staggered back like he had been slapped. "Married? Where did she get that from?" he muttered. "If I was then Nadia wouldn't try to match me with every single female under heaven," he yelled and threw his hands up in disgust. Sharai was defiantly going to the death of him.
"Witch, Witch, Outlander Witch," a voice chanted. Sharai jerked away finding she was almost squeezing the feathers out of one of the pillows. She shook her head trying to get the voice from her head. People feared magic. It had been apparent during the trials. Had she cheated? She had no control over the crescent moon. She raised a clammy hand to her forehead. The tent was dark, she could hear Nadia's heavy breathing near by. She shivered and groped her way out of the tent. She pulled back the flap and was met by comforting moonlight. She rubbed her arms as the wind whipped unmercifully around her. The sands of the desert had turned to silver dust from the moonlight which spree over everything in the night. She looked up at the moon and sighed. How ironic, she had spent many hours back at home watching the earth rise. Now it was completely different. She wondered briefly if she'd be able to see the desert when she went back. It was so wild and so free. A harsh mistress, yes, but still it filled her to the brim with respect for the untamed land. She sighed again as she lifted her head to face the desert. She raced across the sand barefoot while the wind blew threatening to knock her from her feet. "I am fine you know!" she yelled up at the moon. "Are you looking for me still, Mother?" she asked. She laid down and thought wistfully of snow angels for it snowed on the moon. "Are you disappointed that I haven't married Andrew? Does he even care any more that I am gone? I knew you meant well for me and Andrew would've taken care of me, but my heart wouldn't have been content. You knew that! There had to be something more! I am grown now but I still need you." she broke off. She curled into a fetus position and sobbed. She needed her mother for comfort. She needed to tell her mother that she was fine. Did her mother grieve fearing her only daughter dead? She closed her eyes and cried herself to sleep.
Sharai opened her eyes. Someone was gently stroking her hair. She turned her head a little and a woman smiled down at her. "Mother!" Sharai shouted with joy embracing the older woman. "My darling," Queen Serenity cooed and held her child closely. "I've missed you so," Sharai sobbed on the shoulder of her mother. "I know darling. I long to hold you for real. But now is not the time. I am so proud of you," Queen Serenity smiled warmly at her daughter. Her daughter had grown up. Serenity didn't know whether to smile or cry. Her daughter was growing up. "Darling, I am afraid I can't stay long, now listen to me," she commanded and raised Sharai's chin till their eyes met. "You have a choice to make which I can't make for you. Don't be sad Serenity. You are the moon princess and you'll do what's right," Queen Serenity said softly. "But mother they think I am a witch," Sharai huffed. "Go now, darling. He's calling for you. Be happy and we will be together again," said Serenity as she faded. Sharai protested and reached out to grab her mother but just grabbed on to air. "No don't' go," she cried and felt the tears roll down her checks. "I don't want to be alone," she sobbed.
"Sharai," a male voice called to her gently. Sharai jerked and felt her hand impact with something. Her eyes immediately shot open. "I am sorry.oh, its you," she said as she looked up at Endymion kneeling over her rubbing his check. "Do you slap everyone who tries to wake you up?" he asked frowning down at her. "Only the first time. They usually get the hint after that and don't try to wake me," she replied with a wry smile. Endymion couldn't help but grin as he sat down beside her. There was silence between them for a few minutes. "Jeriah has never been prouder, you know. He's been bragging all over the camp. So have my knights, you've stolen their hearts," Endymion commented. Sharai said nothing but nodded as she stared out at the desert dunes not willing to look at Endymion. "Once we reach the City the knighting ceremony will take place. You're friends Gavin, Elidi and the little girl are coming as well," Endymion commented. "Her name is Brat," Sharai spoke up. She glanced at Endymion, he was so serious at times and yet could be so light hearted at others. "Unfortunate name to be given," he laughed. "I thought that is what Jeriah said her name was but I didn't think it was right," he continued. "I think its just a nickname." "Oh" Sharai sighed and started to pick at the corner of her sash that was beginning to come unraveled. He was just inches away. His musky smell filled her nostrils and she could almost feel his breath on her check. "I am sorry," Endymion murmured breaking the silence yet again. Sharai jerked her head up so fast she felt like she had just suffered from whiplash. "What?" she asked. He turned to face her. His dark blue eyes scanned her face. "I said I was sorry. How many times do you want me to say it, woman?" he growled at her. Sharai crossed her arms. "Don't get mad at me and my name is not woman. Call me Sharai or Serenity but not woman!" she yelled at him and turned away from him. She turned to glance over her shoulder. "What are you sorry for?" she asked. Endymion frowned at her. "What do you think I am sorry for, woman?" he asked her. "Let's see maybe for being such an arrogant." Endymion cut her off by a kiss. Her heart slammed in her chest and the blood pounded in her ears. The whole world stood still for a brief second and then he pulled away. Sharai felt the blood rush up from her neck to her temple. "I would've never have stolen you if I'd thought you'd come on your own. But you being an Outlander made things difficult. Every one of us will be destroyed without your help. It tears me up to know that I can't defend my people," he said holding her close . "I realized I couldn't do my job. I have been trained for this from birth yet I can not prevent our extinction," he continued. "Who is this great evil that would do this?" she asked. "I don't know yet. Yet it looms over the distance like a great dark cloud," Endymion explained. Serenity pulled back in horror. "You mean for all you know it could be Outlanders we are going to be fighting!" she gasped and started to back away slowly. Endymion grabbed her wrists. "I doubt it, this is bigger then just the spats of Outlanders and my people. Long ago there was a great stone was held by a great king that ruled over the earth and all its tribes. He was a just man and lived to be a great old age. Yet he feared there would be trouble if the stone would fall in the wrong hands. So to keep that from happening he gave each of his three children a piece. It has been handed down from generation to generation inside of us. I am the descent of the eldest. Yet one child was evil so his brothers entombed their brother to protect the earth from harm. Someone soon will find the third stone and seek out and take revenge on the other two," Endymion explained. Sharai shook her head. "No that's not possible. Nothing like that happens any more. It can possibly." she muttered and shook her head again and again. "Serenity! You of all people know its possible. What you did at the trials." "What I did was cheating. They're right. I have no right to be the champion of the trails," Sharai moaned. "No! It's proof that we do need you," he protested. He reached up and combed her bangs away from her forehead. He gently touched the spot where the crescent moon had appeared. "Why does it appear? What shape is it?" he asked softly. "I don't know..I better get back Nadia will be worried." she said as she pulled away and started walking toward the camp. Endymion grabbed her hand. "Nadia is still asleep no doubt," he assured her and leaned closer to kiss her. Sharai jerked away leaning a very stunned Endymion. "I can't do this," she told him and started walking toward the camp again. "Why not?" he yelled after her. "Because you're married!" she yelled back and broke out in dead run till she reached the camp. Endymion staggered back like he had been slapped. "Married? Where did she get that from?" he muttered. "If I was then Nadia wouldn't try to match me with every single female under heaven," he yelled and threw his hands up in disgust. Sharai was defiantly going to the death of him.