Dynasty sisters

A/N: Not much to say, except I've been busy lately, so I can't really
update on a regular basis... sorry, for delays -.- I'll try hard to keep
updating. Oh, and
~

"...My heart is full of sorrow, my tears is full of grief, my face is past
and borrowed, a blanket of relief..."

~
"My gosh! How you've grown so, Karu-chan!" Presea Fuaru was standing at the
castle gates; her arms wide open, smiling as warm as the sun behind her.
Hikaru ran up and hugged her softly, Presea holding her close, tears in her
eyes, "I didn't think you'd come..."

"...Why did you leave us, Karu? Why did you run away from your home?" Hikaru
snuggled into her slightly, "I caused father and mother so much pain
already...I couldn't stay..."

"No, you didn-"

"Yes, I did, Presea...I put father to shame when I defeated him in kendo...I
didn't want him to leave my brothers, so I left instead...it was a matter of
pride for my fathers behalf...please understand, Presea..." Presea wept
happily, "I...I understand now, child...Oh gosh, I was so worried about you...all
those years ago..."

"Yes, I remember..."

~Flashback~

"Father! Don't go!" A little Maseru tugged at his father's sleave, as he
was packing a bag. Hikaru was standing back, silent tears running down her
cheeks. Her newly appointed godmother, Presea, was holding Hikaru close,
weeping herself. Her mother, and two other brothers were away, only the
three of them there. Hikaru bit her lip softly before saying, "Father...I
shall go..." Presea gasped, and let her go, "Karu-chan...don't do this..." Hikaru
smiled her happy-go-lucky smile, and bounced off to her room, though her
heart mourned to stay, an adventure was awaiting her now, and this was her
chance to grasp it...

"I have to do this for everyone..." She said out loud, before bundling a
little bit of clothing together, and jumped out the dojo window, towards
her destiny...
~End flashback~
She whispered what she said all those years ago, and wept in her arms, the
pain and regret all those years ago finally letting her go in peace, the
thing that has been haunting her since the last tournament, the sight of
her family, and the way their faces saddened when she passed them, pushed
by a crowd of celebrants, her being one of them. Her eyes watered when she
saw her father's proud face, his face radiant.

At that point, Eagle, Fuu and Umi had raced out the castle, Fuu making her
way down the steps with ease, her feet so fast she looked like she was
riding the wind (...or was she? ~.^), Umi and Eagle close behind her, Umi's
hair and Eagle's cape like the sea and platinum following their owners like
a train of colour. Fuu's face lightened, Umi gasped in delight, and Eagle
was wide-eyed and smiling widely, "Precea Fuaru! What an honour!" Presea
looked up to Eagle, and smiled, bowing slightly with Hikaru's fragile body
still in her arms, "A pleasure to have finally met you, Sir Eagle" Fuu had
to pry Hikaru off of Presea before she calmed down, and started to cry on
Fuu. She rubbed her back caringly, "There there, she's here now...it's ok..."
Umi hugged and shook Presea's hand, and Eagle also shook her hand, bending
down and kissing her hand, while she laughed heartedly, "Do my hands taste
like flux?" and Eagle smiled, "Oh no, milady, like sakura blossoms" she
laughed again, and pried Hikaru off Fuu's shoulder, taking her hand and
lead her back to the castle, like a parent to a lost child.
~
"Clef-san, where is the library?" Asked Fuu, itching to see the libraries
she had heard so much about. He chuckled, "You have heard about the library
here, ne?"
"Oh yes, I've been dieing to see it...It have many ancient books I'd love to
read. Oh, if I only lived closer..." she sighed, and looked to the floor.
Clef smiled, "It's to the left of this corridor, the doors with the lion
door-knocks...I put them on myself, the library usually being my study more
than my study itself..." she giggled lightly, "Well, maybe I should go in
there another time..."

"Oh no child, you may go in...Ferio-san is in there as well..."
"F-Ferio-san?" Fuu stuttered, looking directly at the Master Mage. He
raised an eyebrow curiously, "Does that bother you, Fuu-san?" She blushed
lightly, "Oh no, it doesn't..." he smiled, "Good...now, off you go, before I
change my mind..." She bowed, "Arigato, Clef-san" before smiling warmly and
turning around, walking towards the library entrance with a light grace.
Clef smiled after her, "Maybe this girl will help him with his sorrows..."

Fuu opened the door softly, Ferio's soft baritone voice filtered out. As
she made her way into the warm library, she saw bookshelf after bookshelf
of old faded books, parchment scrolls yellow with age, and a huge
fireplace, some comfy leather chairs in front of it. She padded around
quietly to find a book, trying not to disturb Ferio as he read out loud. He
was reading some sort of poetry in a leather-bound book, some of the words
confusing him as he attempted to correct himself, "...And doth the c-clouds
of heaven be bathed in the r-rays of the sun, th-thow..."

"Thou..." she corrected him quietly, unseen in the shadows, and he yelped,
jumping at least two feet in the air, "AHH! Who's there?" he looked around
him, soft fear in his eyes. She stepped out, her hands clasped together and
arms limp, a warm light from the window behind her making her look like an
angel, the golden sunlight surrounding her. Ferio looked slack-jawed and
wide-eyed at her, in awe of the aura that surrounded her. She stepped
forward, blushing lightly, "It's improper to stare, Ferio-san." He blushed
deeply, "I-I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to stare... It's just that..."

"Just what?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her golden honey curls
glowing bronze in the light, and falling onto her face, a curl bouncing off
her softly blushing cheek. He gulped and whispered, "...you look like an...
angel..." her eyes widened, startled with the remark, and her blush deepened.
He squirmed a little, before getting up the courage to step closer,
"I've...I've been trying to teach myself to read more...I only know some words
from Emeraude using them at speeches...I was wondering, if you c-could...read
to me?" His face was shining with pure innocence, holding the book in front
of him like a child with a gift, "...Onegai?" he smiled a little, the blush
on his face wearing off a little. However, Fuu's was becoming more deeper,
"...Sure, Ferio-san...where would you like to start?"

"Oh! Can you read this to me?" he asked excitedly, holding out the book of
poetry, a little boy shining through his eyes. She smiled warmly, before
opening up the book and commenting, "This is a favourite poem of mine..."
before looking into his golden orbs and blushing lightly. She cleared her
throat and sat, "There is a saying for all things true,

But I do not need repeat it,

For you know what it is...

Love is destiny.

And with a love only a lover could give,

I bless you with all things love brings,

So be patient,

And destiny will guide us..." They sat in awkward silence for a while, just
looking into each other's eyes, before Ferio asked softly, "Do you...believe
in love, and destiny?" This brought a sweet smile on Fuu's face, "I... I
always have...and always will..." at this point, Ferio was resting his hand on
hers lightly, and her skin tingled at his touch. She started to blush
again, before Ferio moved his hand off hers, and took the book from her
lap, "Well, I need to sleep, but I hope to meet you in here another day...or
maybe even night...will you read to me some more then? Please?" She smiled a
warm smile again, "If you wish, Ferio-san" and he took her hand again, both
of his around hers, "Arigato...Fuu-chan..." and he kissed her cheek softly,
before letting go and turning to the door, leaving a stunned and slightly
blushing Fuu alone, her hand raised to the cheek he just kissed.

~

By spontaneous instance, a very big cake had appeared in the middle of the
dining room table, where Clef had just sat to read. The double chocolate
caramel cake just looked so appetising, that he had to cut himself a slice.
Just as he was about to, he read the icing piped on top, "Arigato gozimasu,
Clef-san and Eagle-san. Love Umi and sisters" he smiled, before cutting the
piece with 'Umi' on it, took out a clean white handkerchief and wrapped the
delicate cake in it. He sat it on the table and looked at it for a few
moments, before cutting a proper slice, and putting it on a stack of white
china plates. He took the plate off the top, and his hand rested on a
silver cake fork, cold in his hand. He was just about to take his first
bite, when who but Umi sprang up from the galley's doorway, "Hey, not until
after dinner!" she frowned, and walked over to him slowly, sporting a blue
chef dress and a frilly apron, a love-heart shape sewn onto the front
panel. He jumped a little, "Umi! Don't do that!"
"Do what?" she asked sarcastically, putting a little, 'Don't eat' sign into
the cake with a skewer. He picked up on her sarcasm; "Try to deny me of a
beautiful cake when it's right in front of me, of course." she chuckled and
shook her head in fake dismay, "Ahhh Master mage Clef, when will you ever
learn..."
"I learn things everyday...like to leave cakes alone with 'Umi' piped on
top..." and before she realised what he said, he had taken off in the
direction of the library, holding his parcel with care. She took a look at
her cake, and noticed that her name was gone, "Hmm...probably took it with
the other bit of cake he ate..." she ran down to the kitchens, grabbed her
piping bag, and ran back up, re-icing her name onto the cake. "There." she
said with a smile, before taking the dirty plate and fork, and taking them
back down to the galley, hoping someone else can wash them.
"What...what is this? This feeling...it's like she has me hypnotised..." Clef
thought to himself as he walked, and stepped into the double doors, the
lion doorknocks growling slightly. As he sighed to himself, he heard
someone else to the same, seeing a golden aura around a blonde-haired girl,
her head in a book. "Fuu?" he spoke softly, and she jumped, "Clef-san?" he
smiled as he made his way over, collecting some scrolls from a nearby
bookshelf. She smiled as he sat down in front of her, seeing the old
parchment in his hands, "What are they for, Clef-san?"
"They are apart of my studies...the master mage before me wrote them, about
the earth, and all the constructions of Cephiro...and what are you reading?"
he asked her politely, his turquoise eyes sparkling oddly. She smiled
warmly, "a poem book called..." she tried to read the cover, "...oh darn, I
can't read the cover...it's in English..."
"Here, let me see..." said Clef softly, and she passed the book to him,
"Hmm...it says, 'Shakespeare and other poetry.' This book is very old to the
library, one of the first bought..." he smiled, "you like poetry?"
"Oh yes, especially foreign poetry...it's written so differently than the
normal haiku found here...it's interesting to read..."
"I'm sure it is" he grinned, "I'm a fan myself...I also think Ferio-ouji is
somewhat intrigued with the strange ways Shakespeare..." she blushed lightly,
"Yes, I know that already...but he was a remarkable man, you must admit..."
"I heard he didn't write half of his work!" Clef claimed, summoning a
servant for a pot of tea.
"Really? Gosh, and he's covered himself up well..." and the two of them
discussed poetry for the rest of the afternoon, the tea being brought in
sometime later, jewels covering the delicate china, like rainbows playing
on dewdrops...

~

"I wonder if they have a dojo here..."
Hikaru thought to herself, walking around in the gardens with her kendo
suit on, barefoot and brazen, the bamboo sword residing on her back. Lantis
was at the stables, brushing his horse, while Eagle and Presea were
drinking tea with Emeraude underneath an apple tree. Hikaru decided to go
see Rayearth, hoping he hadn't missed her much. She wandered up to the
stables, not noticing Lantis in his full black armour. She found Rayearth
eating a carrot next to Celes and Windom, and she smiled happily,
"Rayearth, do you want some sugar cubes?" a happy neigh was heard, and she
took some from her pocket,
"be careful to eat it slow, or you'll hurt your teeth" she giggled,
thinking of all the times Fuu had scolded her for feeding sugar to him, but
it was his all time favourite, and she thought it would calm him down a
little, since he's in a new place. He chewed slowly, and she scratched him
behind the chin, speaking softly

"What a good horse you are, braving the snooty horsies to stay here. Is
Windom and Celes looking after you? I hope they are, or Fuu-chan and Umi-
chan would be highly disappointed..."

She moved onto Windom, all the while Lantis was listening, sitting on the
wall of the horse stall,

"Hello there Windom, I hope your doing well?" a soft neigh was just
audible, eyes behind creamy bangs "Aww, I've always thought you were the
cutest..."

Rayearth looked hurt, and she apologised,

"After you of course, Rayearth!" then Celes neighed loudly,

"alright, your all cute then" and she smiled sweetly while the horses
neighed happily. She took out some more candy for Rayearth, some bread for
Windom, and a piece of cake for Celes, "Here you go guys, I know Fuu
wouldn't want me to do this but..." she gave Windom a sugar cube, "Don't tell
her, okie?" and the horse nodded. She giggled, "alright guys, I'm gonna
talk to the other horses...be good, ok?" and they all nodded, Celes dropping
crumbs from his cake. She hugged them all from behind the doors, and made
her way down the stables, to Lantis's horse, and looked at the name,

"Asayake ...What a pretty name...its quite opposite to what you are though..."
and the horse whinnied a little, Lantis looking up in surprise, 'She never
responds to anyone but me...' Hikaru giggled, and held out a sugar cube,
"would you like some?" the horse looked down at Lantis for a moment as to
ask, and he nodded, a small smile on his face. The horse whinnied again,
and licked the sugar cube out her open palm. She laughed as the horse
chewed, and swallowed fast,
"You should eat them slowly, or they make your teeth ache...I wonder who you
belong to..." she put her hand out a little, and the horse sniffed it, before
claiming it wasn't food as she scratched her chin,
"Your adorable!" and the horse neighed happily, looking down to Lantis
again. He looked back up with his azure eyes, and his eyes flicked to the
red-haired maiden, the girl un-knowing that she was being watched. Hikaru
giggled, and thought for a moment,

"You'd be lovely to ride..." and saw the saddle on the floor on the opposite
wall, bridle hanging on the wall. She bit her lip in thought, before
whispering to the horse,

"Don't tell your owner, but would I be able to ride you? Just around the
grounds? You look so beautiful here, imagine you in the sun? I might even
give you more sugar cubes...please, may I ride you, fair horse?"

The horse blinked, and looked down to Lantis one last time. Lantis thought
for a moment, before nodding, and when Asayake moved, Lantis moved with
her, still concealed in shadows of the afternoon sun. She moved to the
saddle in the corner, but thought better, and walked back to Ayasake's
side,

"Do you mind if I ride you bareback?" she asked, climbing up on the stable
door. Stormy shook her head and neighed casually, before stopping still to
let Hikaru on. She slipped into the slight dip of her back, and held onto
her neck. She reached down to undo the latch of the gate, and she pulled it
back, enough room for them to get out of. Lantis was back in his original
position, watching them both with a small smile on his face. Hikaru kicked
into Ayasake's flanks, and trotted off, wandering around the castle
grounds. Lantis watched from the stables, a small genuine smile on his
face. It changed a little though when the thought, '...what's wrong with me?'
~
That night, while the others slept, Fuu was still awake, not being able to
sleep. Umi, on one side, was muttering something about being the fencing
champion, while Hikaru, on the other side, was turning in her bed, a dreamy
smile on her naïve face. She slipped out her bed quietly, her bare feet
pattering on the marble floors. She made her way to the balcony glass
doors, and opened them softly, the hinges squeaking with age. She winced at
the sound as it bounced off the walls of the room she shared, and stepped
out into the warm spring air, hints of blossoms and freshly cooked foods
wafted slowly from the city. She breathed in deeply, and let the breath
escape from her mouth, as she looked upon the city, still brimming with
life even after the sun went down. She lent on the rail with both hand in
front of her, and smiled down at the gardens below her. She hummed a soft
melody her mother had taught her, called 'Soyokaze no sonatine', and had
adored that song for as long as she could remember. She spoke out loud, not
thinking anyone would hear her, "Okaa-san...Otoo-san...Nii-san...I'm not alone
anymore...I have my new sisters...and Ferio..." she sighed as his name ringed
inside her mind, and she repeated herself, "...Ferio..." she thought for a
moment, before exclaiming into the night, "The...Library...it should be
open...I'll go read until I'm tired..." and she took off, running towards the
library like the soft breeze of the evening.
That pedicular person was standing on the balcony above, listening to every
word, feeling his own heart aching at the sight of pain in her eyes. He
closed his own, and heard the last comment she made before disappearing,
and followed, hoping to at least talk to her about her past, and to explain
his own painful one.

~

"Please open door...please?" Fuu whispered to the library door, before one of
the lion doorknockers growled lowly and it opened silently, Fuu slipping
inside like a shadow. Forgetting to close the door behind her, she moved to
the ever-burning fire and put her hands up to it, her only being in a short
cotton nightdress. She had even forgot slippers as her bare feet walked
across the cold marble, towards a book on the table, and recognised it
instantly, "...that's the book I read to Ferio today...I wonder what it's
called ..." she picked it up and blew on the cover, sneezing softly when the
dust flew. She tried to read it in the dim light, but couldn't register it.
Then it dawned on her, "...This book has an English cover?"
"That's right" a familiar baritone spoke, and this time it was her that
jumped, "Wh-Who's there? Show yourself!" The voice chuckled, "Take a
guess..." and he slipped out the doors shadows, still fully dressed in his
princely clothing. She gasped and, though not visible in the poor light,
blushed rosy pink, "F-Ferio-san!" He smiled cheekily, "Now we're even..." she
coughed slightly, before he moved so swiftly towards her she took a step
back, fear in her eyes. She was instantly relieved when he stopped in front
of her, and clasped a hand around hers; "I heard what you said on the
balcony before..." this caused her to anger slightly, "you were listening to
me?" her eyes were stricken as he tried to explain, "I didn't mean to...I
couldn't sleep either, so I went to watch the city lights for a while...your
humming was sweet..." a slight pause as she blushed deeper, "...and I hummed
along with you, for I know the song." A gasp was audible in the quaint
room, "Then when you stopped, I heard what you said...you miss your real
family, don't you?" she looked towards the floor, before nodding, a tear
falling onto their connected hands. A pang of heartache pulsed in them
both, and Ferio suddenly pulled her into his arms, hugging her softly. She
sobbed into his chest quietly, shaking with grief and anger,

"...T-tonight...is the anniversary...that I was pulled away by your sister...eight
years ago..." Ferio only pulled her closer,

"...I want to see them, to just see them, talk to them, even just wave to
them..." She looked up at him, tears cascading down her cheeks, glasses wet,

"P-promise me...if I teach you to read, you will help me find my family?"

"I promise, Fuu-chan..." he whispered, and kissed her forehead, before
putting a hand up to his left ear,
"...Here, take this..." and slipped his hand back into hers, something warm and
smooth now in her hand. She released his hand, and looked into her palm,
"No! I can't accept this!" her eyes looked shocked, but he only looked
warmly back, "It's to hold the promise..."

"But I...But I have nothing to give in return..." she stammered, gently pulling
away. He smiled, and took her hand again, stopping her,
"Please..." and slipped the ring onto her right ring finger, "at least wear
it...then I know that you'll keep your promise too" he thought, 'I shouldn't
tell my story tonight...it'll make us both upset then...' there was calming
silence, and Fuu spoke softly, starting to blush again, "Ferio-san?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you...will you s-sleep with me tonight?" she asked awkwardly, "I don't
want to be alone, and I'll get in trouble if I try to go back to my room..."
"As you wish, m'lady..."and with that, he walked her over to the couch near
the fire, and laid her down, followed by a warm blanket. He kissed her
forehead again, before laying himself on the rug on the floor, "Goodnight,
Fuu-chan" and fell asleep instantly, his face hiding behind a green
curtain. She smiled warmly, and whispered,

"Goodnight...Ferio-kun"
~
Ooooh, I hope people like this chappie...oh, I warn you now, this fic's
romance will be based on Fuu and Ferio's relationship, not as much as the
others... even though there will be some Clemi and some L/H/E, but more
focused of F/F...sorry Minna-san =ducks from flying pumpkins= well until next
time, Ja ne ^_^