On a Raven Wind

Author: Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury

Email: abigail@makenai.org

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started: 6-21-03 Chapter ended:

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

*Chapter 10*

-Breakfast-

"Ohayo, Fighter."

"Ohayo, Kakyuu Princess," Seiya greeted with a respectful bow.

"You seem to be in a fine mood this morning," the princess smiled.

"I am? I hadn't noticed." She had woken again after an hour or so extra sleep and gotten dressed to make her routine security rounds around the palace, her walk around the building's perimeter that had been almost a ritual for as long as she had been the Princess' soldier.

"Where is your guest at the moment?"

"Still sleeping. I didn't see a reason to wake her yet."

"That's fine. I'm sure the dear girl needs her rest. Once your finished, do come join us for breakfast, Fighter."

"I won't be late," the senshi promised. As she turned, Seiya thought she saw, or perhaps felt, the princess hesitate, as if there was something more she wished to say. But instead, Kakyuu's lips simply curled in a small smile that Seiya could never doubt was sincere, and with a mere nod she left to wait for Starlights to join her in the breakfast room.

Seiya punched in her report that everything was alright – the same way it had been in all the years after Galaxia's attack. Since returning from Earth they had had nothing but peace, with the exception of a few minor civil disturbances, and time to rebuild the kingdom to it's former glory. Now, to walk the streets, a person would never know anything had ever changed. As if it had never happened.

The breakfast room had been designed specifically to catch the soft orange glow of the rising western sun – indeed, one entire half of the room was a wall of glass panels that cast their morning rays on everything within reach. A light breeze brought in a morning chill through the screen doors, just enough to keep the room at a pleasant temperature. Seiya arrived to find the princess already seated with Taiki and Yaten, their plates graced with fruit, eggs, small rolls, and other delicacies from the modest breakfast buffet laid out on the table in front of them. She pulled out a chair to sit down, but before she did, was halted by a strange look on both her fellow Starlight's faces. Yaten sniggered once softly to herself, and Taiki looked like she was trying to keep a straight face while gathering a mouthful of eggs onto her fork. Seiya recognized that look – it was the amused expression Yaten gave her after she had pulled some clever and embarrassing revenge for an earlier prank by Seiya. Confused for a moment, she suddenly tried to recall if she had looked in the mirror this morning and noticed any missing eyebrows or marker scribblings on her face. However, she couldn't thing of anything she'd done in recent weeks that would justify any such revenge. "What's your problem?" Seiya smiled casually but raised a questioning eyebrow (assuming the eyebrow was still there) at the silver-blonde.

"Nothing at all. But I think that's very cute, the way you've found your own 'Mini Me'." Yaten popped a forkful of berries into her grinning mouth. Seiya then realized her two companions' line of sight was directed not at her, but slightly behind and to her left. She turned to find Miya standing in the center of the dining room several feet away. She was wearing the same clothes she wore yesterday, but otherwise looked no worse for the morning, bright eyes looking expectantly toward the others apparently waiting to be noticed and invited to the table. But what was different (and no doubt what the other two found amusing) was that her hair was pulled back into a single low ponytail, so that she looked – and Seiya had to admit it – exactly like a miniature version of her father. What happened to the pigtails? she wondered strangely, as her eyes fell on the small girl.

"Come join us, Miya-chan," Kakyuu smiled pleasantly. "There's plenty of food to be shared, and after all, you're our honored guest." The girl strode to the table and hopped into a seat between Kakyuu and Seiya. The princess passed her several dishes helping Miya to fill her plate.

"Like father, like daughter?" Taiki spoke softly with an inquiring glance at Seiya.

"That was not my suggestion," Seiya replied flatly, more than a little flattered but still unnerved deep in her stomach by Miya's new choice of hairstyle. It served as yet another jarring reminder of why this happy-go-lucky girl was sitting beside her at breakfast today. Really, looking at the two of them, who could deny their relationship?

"You know, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, though," Taiki continued. "So she's taken a liking to you, has she?"

"The last thing we need around here is two of you," Yaten put in. "But at least she's cute."

Miya, having become aware that she was the subject of conversation, turned toward the Starlights with a mildly curious face. "Liking the food?" Seiya questioned, looking down at her, to which Miya nodded enthusiastically and made another bite-size piece of jelly-smeared waffle disappear.

You know, Seiya," Taiki spoke up, "I know we did all meet Miya-chan last night, but maybe you should properly introduce everyone."

Seiya swallowed and set down her fork. "I suppose. Alright then… Miya-chan, let me introduce you to Yaten Kou and Taiki Kou, resident palace stiffs – "

"Seiya, can't you even make a normal introduction without cracking jokes?" Yaten cut in, sounding somewhat annoyed.

"Offended, Yaten? I was just trying to make her feel more comfortable." Seiya turned aside to Miya. "Yaten's not a morning person, you see. You'll get used to her."

"Oh, make me sound like a bitch, why don't you?"

"If the shoe fits…"

Miya giggled while Yaten's emerald eyes glared daggers at Seiya, then she rolled them and stuck out a pink tongue. "I do hope you don't inherit your father's retrograded maturity, Miya-chan," Yaten stated dryly.

"Will you just let me finish the introductions?"

"You're hardly doing a good job of it…"

"Are you guys sisters?" Miya piped up suddenly.

The three Starlights exchanged looks. "No, not by blood," Taiki replied.

"Although for some reason we get that a lot," Yaten answered. She ran her fork in bored circles on her plate while watching Miya, producing a grating screech of metal-on-china, oblivious to Taiki's annoyed glare.

"But we've been together nearly all our lives, so I suppose we are practically sisters," Seiya finished. "In fact, you can even call Yaten 'obasan' – I bet she'd be thrilled."*

"Funny one, Seiya," Yaten said, taking the opportunity to fling a piece of biscuit across the table at her 'sister'. "Don't forget you're only five months younger than me."

"Please do not starting throwing food, you two," Taiki interjected with the tone of one who knew all too well where this could lead, and didn't like it at all. Yaten smiled but said nothing more. "Calm down, Taiki, no one's even arguing," Seiya put in. Miya watched interested, putting another forkful of breakfast in her mouth, and only a little disappointed that there would be no foodfight.

"Anyway, you'll get to know Taiki and Yaten while you're here since they're also, um, Starlights… Maker and Healer, to be specific," Seiya faltered, not sure if Miya even knew what a Starlight was. She had talked some last night about her life on Kinmoku, and shared stories about her time on Earth, but the fact of her second identity had never come up. But Miya made no sign on confusion, so Seiya continued. "And this, of course, is the ruler of Kinmoku, and our beloved Princess… Kakyuu-sama."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miya-chan," Kakyuu said.

"So you're the lost princess?"

Kakyuu's smile of greeting faded in mild confusion. Miya turned to Seiya for help. "Your song!" she explained matter-of-factly.

"…Ah, yes!" Realization finally brightened the young Princess' petite face. "You are right, dear. The princess whom Seiya and the others were looking for was I. You've heard my Starlights' song, have you?"

Miya nodded assertively. "I'm glad they found you."

"So am I," Kakyuu smiled softly, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Miya found she liked the princess of Kinmoku –  she had from the first moment she saw her. She seemed wise and kind, like a beautiful red angel. Now she understood the desperation in the Three Lights' song… they missed the comfort of their Princess' presence. Kakyuu reminded her of the way Miya imagined someone else whom the legends spoke of on Earth…

"So what are your plans for today?" Taiki questioned Seiya.

"Well," Seiya began, as Miya looked in her direction, also wondering what the day held in store for her. "I thought we would take a walk and show Miya-chan the city, maybe feed the chinakus…"

"Chinakus?" Miya echoed the strange word curiously.

"Um… well, they're kind of like giraffes," Seiya explained. "You'll see what I mean."

"Are you full yet, Miya-chan, or would like anything else to eat?" Kakyuu inquired, noting the girl's now-empty plate.

The dark-haired child stared at her plate contemplatively. "Olives."

"Eh?" Her single spoken word had sent the whole table into mild puzzlement. "Olives… with eggs?" Taiki blinked.

Miya broke into giggles at her own half-serious request. "Sure! I can eat olives with anything! Aaaall the time… lots and lots of olives!" She punctuated her words with a wide hand gesture demonstrating just how many olives she could eat in a sitting.

Seiya found herself giving her daughter an are-you-sure-you're-not-crazy look while being more than a little amused. The rest of the table was laughing out loud. "Whatever, kid. Maybe for lunch. Plus I don't know if we even have that many," Seiya smirked. "Now, if you really are full, are you ready to start our tour of Kinmoku city?"

With Miya's affirmative "yep", Seiya instructed: "Then I'll meet you by the front entrance, ok? I've got to fetch a few things from my room first."

The girl skipped away cheerily and father's eyes watched until the last bouncing end of ponytail disappeared around the tall doors. "Well," Seiya spoke loudly as she stood up, more to break the silence that ensued than anything else. As she happened to catch the princess' glance out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Kakyuu's red orbs quickly averted. Concerned out of habit, Seiya wondered if something might be troubling the princess. The thought didn't have long to linger in her head before it was quickly pushed away.

"Enjoy your tour, if the little runt doesn't wear you out first." Yaten punctuated her words with a "good luck" wave.

"I'm not that old yet, Miss Obasan," Seiya countered. She hardly considered herself past her peak (far from it, in fact) and in her mind keeping up with a nine-year-old child would be no challenge at all. Despite all that was on her mind, she expected today to be a fun, and hopefully enlightening day.

"By the way, Seiya," Taiki spoke before her dark-haired comrade could leave. "You should know, the DNA came back positive."

A breathless punch hit her chest in what was becoming an all too familiar feeling each time another fact drove the reality home one layer deeper. Seiya licked her lips coolly, not willing to show any outward reaction. After all, Taiki's announcement was nothing new, there should be no reason for surprise. She was already convinced Miya was her daughter. But somehow she'd had it pushed to the back of her mind that this might be one of those freaky dreams you wake up from and wonder Did that really just happen? Now the cold, solid, irreversibleness of science had just slapped her across the face to say This IS the truth, and you can't ever argue it. She adored Miya already and so had no problems accepting that, but as a general rule, Seiya liked her flexibility. And suddenly, she had no loopholes left… and only the realization that this could quite possibly change her life forever. Not only that, it cemented the fact that Usagi…

"Seiya?"

"Yeah?" Seiya responded distantly to Taiki's inquiry, her eyes flicking automatically in Kakyuu's direction. The princess' eyes were down, her reaction unreadable. Pulling herself back to the present, Seiya spoke casually. "Well, that's nothing I didn't know anyway by now. No shock."

"Are you seriously okay with this?" Yaten raised an eyebrow, skeptical at how well Seiya seemed to be taking all that had happened in the last sixteen hours.

"Don't worry about me," Seiya smiled as she turned and walked away. "I'm still in shock."

Outside, Seiya leaned against the tall double doors, once she had closed them against the eyes of the others still inside, letting her body rest limp against their able support. A long exhale escaped her lips to shove out every thought that was still clouding her mind. No use pondering things – she was determined to enjoy these next few days with her new-found daughter without bigger questions weighing down her mind. But the possibility of meeting Usagi again had been quietly nagging her. On one hand, it would be nice to go back to Earth, see how things had changed, catch up on old times, while at the same time… well, some things of the past she'd rather not revive. But she'd already promised herself not to dwell on that – today she had a holiday to enjoy. As for whatever else their futures held…

"Well, Miya," she spoke under breath to the empty hall. "This should be an interesting ride."

---------------

* obasan – "aunt" or "middle-aged lady"

Author's notes:  *bangs head severely against desk several times*  aahh, that felt better. _;;