Disclaimer: See previous chapter.

Note: (edited repost) Here, the story begins:

Once upon a time, on a small blue planet in a far corner of the Galaxy, there was a Warrior and a Maiden. They lived not with their parents, but in their Guardians' care and were, for the most part, happy and content. Then, one morning, Fate decided to take a hand in their lives ...

Damsels and Dragons

Chapter 1: Down By The Sea

Katherine slipped out of her Guardian's summer residence shortly before dawn; it was a time of day when her family would still be asleep, and the guards were most relaxed. They had arrived here only two days before, to conduct some important business or another, and now everybody was settling in nicely. The young woman had never been to this part of her homeworld before, and she was eager to learn what she could of the Western hemisphere – it was so different from where she'd grown up, and where she lived now! Everything was of interest to her ... the sea, the forests, the mountains rising in the distance, still white-topped although summer was right around the corner. But most of all, Kat wanted to learn about the people; she so seldom had the chance to meet anyone who was not in awe of her Guardian, either out of fear or of servilitude. Some of that attitude always reflected on everybody she came into contact with, and after four years, she was heartily sick of it.

It wasn't as if she were a prisoner; while strict, Lord Zaed and his wife, Lady Rita, allowed her more liberties than most girls of her station could expect. But still, their solicitude, and the well-meant watchfulness of Zaed's other ward, Thomas, grated sometimes. Katherine had grown up on the largest island in the South-Eastern Hemisphere, where the seasons were reversed, customs were relaxed and casual and she was free to come and go as she liked. Only her parents' death, in the absence of any relatives to take in the thirteen-year-old orphan, had brought her into the guardianship of the Lord of the East. The girl grimaced slightly as she put some distance between herself and the fortified compound; Lady Rita had told her she would be expected to attend most of the gala soirées the local administrators had arranged, and tonight would come the first in a long string of boring affairs. While Kat loved dressing up, she disliked the stuffiness, with only Thomas for company. Lord Zaed did not deem the group of young men and women also living at his court suitable company at official occasions, although they were more friends than hired companions.

- - -

Taking the back roads, she walked through the cool morning air towards the seashore; it was a good walk of maybe two miles or a little more, but she was young and strong, and welcomed the exercise. Finally, she reached the beach and wandered along, admiring the brilliant colors of the sun as it rose from the waves. Sand and dunes gave way to rocks, and the gentle crashing of the surf was a pleasant base note to the emerging birdsong.

A narrow, near-invisible path between two large boulders intrigued the blonde girl, and she carefully scrambled down to sea level, grateful that she'd thought to snatch a man's suit – pants and a loose tunic – from the laundry room. Her usual wardrobe of long, flowing gowns Lady Rita insisted she wear would only have hindered her movements, and this early-morning excursion was to please her, not her Guardian's wife.

Panting a little from the unaccustomed exertion, Kat looked around with delighted blue eyes. She found herself in a small cove, hidden from view on all sides except from the open sea, with crystal-clear water and a small beach with golden sand that slowly began to warm under the sun's brightening rays. She knelt down on a flat rock and tested the water; it was still somewhat cool, but back in her homeland she'd bathed in even colder lakes. Her Guardians did not approve of too-vigorous exercise for girls, but Kat's parents had insisted she train her body as well as her mind, and so the girl snatched every opportunity she got to work out. Suddenly, the lure of a swim was irresistible; looking around to make sure she was truly unobserved, Kat shimmied out of her borrowed clothing. Naked, she slowly made her way into the gently-lapping waves, shivering slightly as she immersed herself. Within minutes, however, she gained the open stretch of water, and started swimming with even strokes.

- - -

In the courtyard of Zordon the Wizard's imposing fortified mansion, the owner's foster son completed his morning workout just as the sun rose above the surrounding trees. The dark-haired young man bowed to his friend and companion, and grinned teasingly at the shorter youth.

"You're getting better, Zack," he laughed as he reached for a rough towel to wipe the sweat off his chest and arms.

"Yeah – this time I almost managed to throw you once," Zack mock-scowled. He was an accomplished fighter himself, or Zordon wouldn't have offered fosterage to him, but nobody in the West's Defensive Force could match Jason for sheer strength and fighting skill, despite his youth. It was the reason why he'd been allowed to choose a Power Color during his Warrior Vigil two years ago, on his 18th birthday. It was akin to receiving a Knighthood, and Jason was entitled to bear "Sir" attached to his name, but he rarely made use of the title. Only his armor and wardrobe reflected his affiliation with the Red, even though no heraldic device graced his shield ... yet. The way the Power worked, the Power Spirits would reveal themselves to their Human avatars in their own sweet time. Zack himself was quite content to bear his natural father's Black Lion crest as his coat of arms; he was a Warrior, wore the armor ... it was less prestigious than being a Chosen One, to be sure, but nothing to be ashamed of.

"Don't worry, one day you'll get it right." Jason grinned as he collected his training weapons and the two carried them to the Armory at the far wall. Others might call servants to perform this task, but Zordon wanted his fosterlings to be self-sufficient; that included doing as much for themselves as possible, lest they get spoiled into insolence and arrogance. Efficiently, the two young men stowed their equipment, then made their way towards the house.

"I'm off to breakfast, then a shopping expedition to the market with the girls before my session with Will," Zack announced. "You want to come along?"

"No, Zordon gave me the day off – I'm to accompany him to the Province Governor's banquet tonight, though." Jason made a face. "Some foreign bigwig is staying around here for trade negotiations or something; he's brought his family and I think I'm supposed to be their entertainment."

"Aieeh, Sir Jason, court jester extraordinaire," his friend jibed good-naturedly. He dodged the playful swat aimed at him. "Makes learning about distribution of farm revenue sound almost like fun!"

"That's what Will's teaching you?"

"Yeah – most boring stuff it's ever been my displeasure to study. But I guess if I'm to follow my father as Chief Administrator of the East Shore Province, there's no way around it."

"It could be worse – just wait until you get to hear Open Court," Jason moaned. "I am so glad that that part of my training is over! At least Will understands the necessity of taking a break every now and then; I got to study with the Senturion Bureau!"

"Let me guess – all robots? Man, that had to be rough," Zack sympathized. The Senturion Bureau was an institution which served all members of the Galactic Council equally; they took care of all legal matters and were justly famed for their impartiality.

"You have no idea! And that's why I'm off to the sea right now," the young Warrior declared. "I'm sweaty all over, and there's nothing like a good swim to relax and get my mind off tonight. Want to come along, at least for a while? I'm sure Will will be glad to spend time with the girls." He winked at Zack, who smirked back. Everybody but the lady in question knew about Zordon's assistant's crush on the slender Trini, Jason's foster sister. It made Jason very glad that the Lord of the West did not insist he marry either of his pretty companions – although he knew it was an unspoken wish on their Lord's part that the affection they bore each other might evolve into a deeper commitment.

For a second, Zack was tempted, but then shook his head regretfully.

"Nah. Will's gonna insist on tutoring me today, and besides, your swims are anything but relaxing. Now if you'd just wanted to fool around, it'd be different, but I bet my new dagger against your practice staff that you'll end up doing some serious long-distance stuff. Am I right?"

Jason blushed slightly, but nodded; while playing games in the surf was fun, he found it curiously soothing to pit his strong body against the waves when he explored the small, hidden coves on the other side of the bay. He grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah. In that case, I'll see you later? I can't stay too late; Zordon wants to talk to me about something before we leave for that reception tonight."

"Sure. Have fun, and don't pick up any mermaids," the dark-skinned young man teased.

"Yeah, right," Jason snorted. "As if any pretty girls would be floating in the Bay."

"Oh, you'll never know," Zack averred. "Stranger things have happened." Jason just shook his head as he turned away, and with a grin, Zack watched his friend bound off to the stables, before he veered off towards the bathhouse to cleanse himself.

- - -

The young Warrior stabled his horse at a fisherman's hut near his favorite stretch of beach; the family there was used to his infrequent visits and wouldn't bother him while he indulged in the one form of exercise he loved that was not geared to militaristic purposes but was purely for his own enjoyment. Stripping off his clothes and putting them into a satchel, Jason secured his change of fresh garments with a flat rock, then strode purposefully into the calm waters. The sun had already risen above the horizon, and the bay was gilded by the warming rays. While he liked battling stronger surf, the softly-rippling surface was inviting him to swim slowly, powerfully, as his trained body crossed the open stretch of sea, relishing the smooth glide of water against his naked skin.

Jason lost all sense of time as he swam, lost in a pleasant haze of exercising; only when even his great strength began to wane did he lift his head slightly to look for a likely place to rest before he made his way back. A familiar rock formation caught his eye, and he turned towards the wetly glistening spire; he knew that once past the small reef, he'd find a shallow cove where he could soak up the sun's rays to warm up, and where he was unlikely to encounter anyone who would take exception to his lack of clothing. A small, cheeky grin played around the firm mouth as he wove his way through the rocks; he could just about hear the comments some people at his foster father's court would make if they knew the Heir liked to exercise naked!

- - -

Katherine had swum until she began to get chilled in the shallow cove; she would've liked to venture out into the sea, but she was unfamiliar with the reef, and didn't want to get caught in an undercurrent. Better to seek out a fisherman or something and ask before she hurt herself. For now, just being here would have to be enough. Rising from the waves like some Goddess from ancient myth, she felt the moisture gliding down her skin as she waded through the thigh-high water to a flat stone that was high enough above the surface to make a perfect place for basking in the morning sun for a while, to get warm and dry. Climbing nimbly up, the blonde girl stretched out on her belly with a satisfied sigh, relishing the pleasant ache the moderate exercise had left in her muscles as the gentle sun bathed her creamy skin in light.

When her back felt warm enough, Kat turned over, propping herself up on her elbows as she reclined on the smooth rock. A slight breeze caught her drying hair and sent shivery, feather-light caresses across her skin, making her think whimsically of a phantom lover who would touch her just as delicately ... but then, a frown marred the clear brow. Shaking herself a little, Kat abandoned that line of thought. Ever since she had grown to womanhood, there had been hints from her guardian and Lady Rita that they expected her to marry soon. And Kat knew very well that she would most likely not have too much of a say when it came to choosing her husband.

-I think they expect me to marry Tom,- she mused, the image of her friend and almost-brother rising before her inner eye. She liked Lord Zaed's tall, enigmatic Heir Apparent well enough; he'd shown the young orphan nothing but kindness when she came to live at the Eastern Court. An orphan himself, he had a unique understanding of her feelings, and since he was only slightly older, the two had developed a strong, sure friendship that included his squires Adam and Ricardo, whom everybody called Rocky. The three young men treated the bereaved girl like their little sister, comforting her when she cried over her loss, teased her out of the doldrums and commiserated when Lady Rita's lessons in deportment, estate management and all the things a girl of her status needed to know became too strict or too boring. Eventually, they extended their circle to include Kat's two handmaidens-turned-friends, cousins Aisha and Tanya, and the sixsome spent what little free time they had together in genteel, strictly supervised fun.

-Could I love Tommy?- Kat asked herself as she lay in the sun. -Yes, I think so,- she answered herself.

-He's handsome, he's smart, he's the best Warrior Zaed's weapons masters have ever known, he's NICE ... and since the Winter Solstice, he's also a Chosen of the Green. I LIKE him. But ... do I want to be married to him? I don't know.- Even mentally, she had to sigh. -But, I suppose I could do a lot worse. Lord Zaed could wish me to marry someone I've never met before, or didn't even like. He wouldn't exactly FORCE me, but ... I owe him too much to defy him, especially since there's no one else I love. So, I guess when the subject comes up, I won't argue against it.-

The young woman relaxed, wiggling a little in the warmth suffusing her body. A bit wistfully, she discarded the little-girl notions of romance she'd once had. A single stray thought lingered as she stretched her nude body out once more.

-Just once, I'd like to know what it's like to fall in love ...-

- - -

Jason scaled the reef and let himself glide into the calmer waters of the small cove. He swam until he felt his feet touch the sandy bottom and stood, water sluicing off his cut torso as be swiped his hair out of his eyes with both hands. He was breathing a little harder than he had expected, but the lengthy swim on top of his morning exercise with Zack had taxed him a little more than he'd thought it would.

Walking slowly through the chest-deep water towards the beach, he didn't pay much attention to his surroundings, honestly expecting to be alone this early in the day. After all, it was only an hour or so after sunrise. When the wavelets were lapping around his thighs, though, a small movement to the right made him freeze in his tracks.

-Uh-oh. Busted!-

Well, it couldn't be helped; thinking it was probably just a boy from the town, or a fisherman in search of shellfish, Jason had a quip all ready for whoever caught him out like this, but as soon as he'd turned and registered the nature of his company, any words he might have uttered died in his suddenly dry throat.

-Here be mermaids after all…-

The rational part of his mind told him mermaids didn't exist, and a quick glance confirmed the absence of any fish tail or scales, but there could be no doubt that the person stretched out so enticingly on a rock was female … and as naked as he.

-I should leave … not compromise her privacy or inflict my nudity on her!-

That was what he should do – what any chivalrous man would do. However, his brain's urgings went unheeded as his feet transported him instinctively towards the blonde stranger, moving as quietly as possible, feasting his eyes on the sight before him.

-I know her.-

An innermost core he hadn't known he possessed recognized that, although Jason knew full well he'd never seen this girl before. But something about her called to his very being, and he was powerless in the compulsion to seek her out. The young man stopped only a yard or so away from the outcropping, staring at the pale gold and creamy perfection of her body. Something must've given his presence away, or else the same siren call holding him in its thrall called to the girl, because suddenly she turned her porcelain face towards him and met his awestruck gaze.

Jason felt himself drowning in twin sapphire pools, unable and unwilling to do anything about it.

- - -

Katherine basked in the freedom of lying in the sun, unfettered by clothes or company, when a sense of someone's presence pulled her out of her reverie. A quick glimpse from under her lashes indeed showed her a hint of movement to her left, and the shape of a person. Her first thought was to flee, to dive into the water and hide from prying looks, but she realized only an instant later that it was too late for modesty already, that whoever had come upon her unexpectedly would by now already have seen everything there was to see.

-Rats! The first time I ever get away from my guardians, and I get caught like this…-

Deciding to brazen it out, she shifted slightly towards the tiny sloshing sounds she must've heard subconsciously, and opened her eyes, fully intending to send the intruder packing with a scathing comment.

The words were never said.

Instead, Kat felt herself yielding, her body instantly yearning towards the man hovering so close to her … his midnight-dark eyes shrouding her in admiration and the certainty that she was safe – as safe as she'd been in her parents' embrace.

-I've come home.-

The knowledge was there, full-blown and comforting, and unbidden, a smile formed around her lips, welcoming the stranger as she straightened slowly, not caring about her nakedness … or his. The fact registered at the back of her mind, and while some part of her warned that she should be afraid, that there was potential danger in the situation, she could not find the will or strength to hide. With luminous eyes, Kat watched him cross that last bit of distance between them, never flinching back as the man reached out with a not-quite steady hand to touch her cheek. The firm mouth moved, but it took a moment until she understood what he was saying.

Jason couldn't have stopped himself if all the forces in the universe had tried to interfere; he just had to touch, to make sure he wasn't imagining things, that this girl – this woman – was real. His trembling fingers made contact with smooth-as-silk skin, and he felt as if a big rock had just dropped from his heart.

"I've dreamed of you," he whispered. "I knew I'd find my destiny someday, and now I have."

To Be Continued …