AN:Hello my darling readers I'm happy to bring you the next chapter of Ice and Snow. Alas not a terribly long chapter and I didn't quite get to the upcoming battle I know you can all tell is coming, but hey I'm working on it. Perhaps I'm getting long winded in my writing? xD I know you're all sick of dialog and are itching for some battle and for my sorry butt to finally finish this tale but well one step at a time. I also changed this chapter's name right before I uploaded it. haha, please enjoy ch 19 of Ice and Snow. Thank you for all your reviews and support.
I do not own Rayearth, xxxholic, Tsubasa or any other clamp work I may mention or hint at in my stories. I only use them for my own enjoyment and yours.
"To know what is to come and yet be unable to tell. Even if you want to help, you cannot. There's nothing more painful than that."
19. Foretelling
It was rather amusing how the Autozaman soldiers who were bustling about the Magic Knights practically tripped over themselves. Many of them had never been to Cephiro; much less met the Legendary Magic Knights.
Hikaru detached herself from Lantis, mostly to giggle at the soldiers and answer their many questions and thank them for coming. They were hesitant at first to speak to her, she being, in their eyes, much higher in rank, but her eagerness was contagious.
Lantis left to escort the officers to quarters prepared for them earlier. Eagle remained, to boost troop moral he claimed, the news that he'd recovered had not become common knowledge yet among the infantry. In truth he really just didn't want to be separated from Umi. That horrid feeling still nagged the edges of his mind, no matter what Umi or anyone else said.
Fuu marveled that many of the troops knew Eagle by sight and he greeted quite a few of them by name. They did seem to take heart and word spread quickly that he would be joining them in battle along with the Magic Knights themselves, though that was only one of many whispers and rumors that ran among the men.
Scuttlebutt ran wild about the young woman their commander escorted. As elegant a creature that could be found and her sharp blue eyes gazed with a keenness that didn't seem to match her age. Few gossiped that she might be older than she looked this was Cephiro after all, but another solider mentioned that he had heard the Magic Knights were from another world and that couldn't be true.
Perhaps their commander was just being cordial and escorting the young woman, as the Cephiran Prince did for the quiet Wind Knight. Though their relationship was a whole other matter of gossip all together, there had already been rumor that she would be queen someday.
To say the least the Autozaman soldiers were all defiantly interested in the Magic Knights, and particularly the status of the Water Knight's relationship with their commander.
Umi, for her part, felt like a goldfish, a goldfish in a big glass bowl that everyone could stare at.
It wasn't that she was unused to being in a social setting. She did that quite often with her father at his business dinners, but she was not use to being the center of such scrutiny. She felt mildly relieved that they also stared at Hikaru and Fuu. Though Hikaru was utterly oblivious to it as far as she could tell, and Fuu took it in stride, though she was clamped quite firmly to the Prince's side.
The people of Cephiro had of course been like this a first, but that had long passed, the girls visited so often now.
It took all of Umi's will and social know how not to shrink beneath the many eyes upon her and hide behind Eagle.
Eagle couldn't help but feel a little proud of her. He could tell how uncomfortable she was despite how well she hid it, and he doubted she had any idea how queenly she looked. He squeezed her hand gently as the group separated from the soldiers.
Feiro stepped away from Fuu for a moment to speak to a messenger and Hikaru finally had her fill of chatting with the men and skipped back over to join them.
There was movement everywhere, cargo and weapons were being unloaded, along with more men. Eagle's sharp gaze followed every movement, making sure everything went smoothly, it was almost too easy to slip back into his role as high commander. Men hurried past their eyes darting over to the Knights and of course over to their commander and the blue haired young woman that hung trustingly upon his arm.
Every part of Eagle wanted to roll his eyes as he contemplated the ear full he would get when his father got wind of this. He sighed inwardly and leveled a glare at a passing soldier who stared just a little too long. The man visibly shrank and scurried off in the opposite direction.
"Be nice." Umi jabbed him gently in the ribs, she found this attitude he took on around all these other men rather adorable, in a cute, over protective sort of way.
It was quite interesting how much his countenance changed once he slid into his role as commander. He always carried himself well, in much the same way Lantis did, standing tall, shoulders strait, head held high, but among these men he came across as rather formidable, a leader in every way.
Well, most of the time anyways…
"That was being nice" Eagle murmured in her ear, smiling sweetly as he rested a hand on the small of her back.
"If you're trying to reduce the amount of prying eyes on us you're doing a very poor job of it." Umi felt her face begin to turn shade, but she couldn't help but feel a smile pull at her lips.
"Well they're going to stare anyways; shouldn't we give them something to gossip about?" He teased gently as he released her from his grasp.
Suddenly Hikaru and Fuu came over to them, "Sorry Eagle, we need to borrow Umi for a moment." Fuu smiled at the commander as she and Hikaru practically latched onto the Water Knight and pulled her with them.
Eagle frowned slightly at having the girl removed from his arm but didn't protest.
She smiled at him apologetically, with a slightly confused light flittering though her blue eyes as she turned to her friends.
"What is it guys?" Umi questioned.
The two other knights giggled.
"We never got to ask you the other night because of the fight with Sentra, but how did it go in the garden?" Fuu questioned, eager to hear if her plan worked, she though it had, but she wanted to know how well.
"What?" Umi questioned turning a very becoming shade of red.
"Oh come on Umi! When did you even stat to like Eagle, I had no idea until the other day." Hikaru pouted.
"I second that and raise you one better," Caldina suddenly popped into the conversation, "So did you get a good kiss from him that night or did that wait until this morning?" She leaned down, each arm slung over Hikaru and Fuu as if she were about to reveal the best gossip ever.
"Caldina!" Presea was mortified on Umi's behalf; she had been right behind the dancer.
"Uh…" Umi kept turning red until the whole of her blush covered her neck and chest. She momentarily looked over to Eagle, her exquisite expression conveying her desperation quite clearly.
Eagle's eyes met hers from across the room; he raised one blond eye brow in question to her expression and grinned, no smirked, as if he knew exactly what was being said.
'Oh, all men are useless!' she fumed and turned away, deciding to take matters into her own hands. "It was that night actually and yes it was a good kiss and it wasn't the last, but you know I seem to remember that Hikaru and Fuu here haven't been spending their nights alone either lately!"
Hikaru and Fuu both stared at their friend, mouths wide open in surprise, before Caldina squealed.
"Is that true? Oh I'm so proud of ya, ya'll are just growin' up so fast!" The two other knights joined Umi in turning a lovely shade of red as Caldina hugged them to her chest, nearly smothering them both in her boobs.
Presea looked to the heavens and murmured something under her breath no one could catch.
Eagle watched the rather amusing scene unfold, momentarily distracting him from his self appointed duty. He smiled gently.
Just in time for Geo to come up behind him and slap him on the back.
The blond man jumped in surprise and leveled a glare at his friend.
"Never thought I'd see the day." Geo's brown eyes grinned down at him.
"What?" Eagle asked only mildly annoyed at his old friend's antics.
"The day you'd go gaga for a girl" Geo patted his shoulder. He received a glare from those golden eyes.
"Oh come on, you'd have to admit it was a little left field, from you anyways. You've purposely avoided any female advances since you were old enough to start attracting them."
Eagle decided at that moment that Karma was a cruel, cruel woman. He wished he had gone over to Umi now.
"Must you Geo?" he rubbed his temples.
Geo chuckled but left it at that.
When silence descended Eagle's gaze slowly drifted back to a familiar blue haired girl.
Geo rolled his eyes. "Come on we're going to be late."
Eagle sighed and joined his friend, heading towards the throne room.
o o o
"Where is this man you spoke of?"
Eagle glanced at one of his lieutenants with an annoyed expression that he held back with some effort on his part. "He should be here at any moment."
In truth no one was quite sure where Camry has disappeared off too and some of the Autozam officers were a little dubious of their explanations about Camry and their willingness to trust him.
The first of their doubts were remedied by Camry's appearance a moment later, suddenly swilling from the shadows cast by the many torches that lit the room. He nearly looked the part of some undead creature. The officer from Autozam nearest to him jumped in fright, "Wha…?"
Camry didn't give the man a second glance.
Hikaru gasped and ran forward, worry clear in her eyes. "Camry? What happened to you?"
She looked him up and down; his cloak was tattered, barely clinging to his shoulders, pale knuckles scuffed and his glove gems swilled with the ebb of recently used magic.
"I went back to the other side." He collapsed into a chair the instant Clef created it.
"What did you seek?" the mage asked in a composed tone, trying to calm to room back down.
"Information," he rubbed his temples. "I figured Impreza would make her move soon, considering the people below her are no more…" Sadness crossed his handsome face for but a brief moment. "So I knew she would be forced to act, but I did not think her counter would be so swift."
"What do you mean?" Fuu stood joining Hikaru. Umi also stepped forward eyeing the pale man speculatively. Eagle also watched him, but for another reason entirely.
Camry had told him he'd seen the future, if that were so would he have also not seen this outcome? Perhaps his ability to see the future was far more restricted than he had first imagined.
"She is amassing an army, made mostly of those strange black and red soldiers you fought before, but a few, such as Elantra, are those that have fallen through to the other side over the many years." Camry combed back his disheveled white hair with shaking fingers.
"Well those things are mechanical anyways; they shouldn't be anything we can't handle." Umi crossed her arms. Eagle held back smile at how terribly cute she was with that determined expression.
"That is true; they are mechanical like but that wont matter when you're fighting a dozen of them at a time. How do you think I ended up looking like this?" He gestured downward at his disheveled clothes.
"We should probably send word to Chizeta and Fahren to double their efforts, we'll need them soon." Clef sighed and tapped the floor turning the vast opening above them into a viewing mirror.
"We should strike now, while we have the advantage, before she's gathered her full strength." The lieutenant that had spoken earlier voiced his comrade's thoughts. He looked to his commander for support.
"I believe that would be unwise," Eagle spoke, authority lacing his tone, "None of you have any experience in that place. How disorienting the snow is and…" here Eagle stopped suddenly recalling the snow in his dream, for a brief second an image of red, bloody snow swilled in front of his eyes. Fortunately, Camry picked up his train of thought and continued and no one seemed to notice, save Umi, who glanced at him worriedly.
"Not only is it unwise but it's also impossible." Camry stood once more.
"Why is that?" the lieutenant managed to find his voice as a pale, ghost like Camry circled around him.
"Because it took near all Camry's strength to pull just myself and Hikaru to the other side, taking an entire army would be impossible." Umi spoke up her eyes never leaving Eagle.
Eagle did not speak again but gazed quizzically at Camry; contemplating if the man really did know what the future held for him. The older man walked past him and he got a good read of the exhausted man's aura. It was a painful thing to read and Eagle winced visibly. Pain and despair, churning and frothing laced by a terrible yearning, for what he couldn't guess and yet hope still remained within this pale, tired man.
He gathered all of this in a brief moment along with that strange aura that Camry and every other person from the other side seemed to give off, though it was strange, the coldness he radiated, it wasn't nearly as bad as Elantra's or Impreza's. Just thinking of that horrible woman's cold hands made him shutter.
"I think this is enough for now." The commander stood, "We can do no more until Chizeta and Fahren arrive and even then we must wait for Impreza to make the first move, besides…" at this he looked to Camry, "You're in no shape for this anyways."
Camry turned to look at him bemusedly as the Autozaman officers were moving off to speak with Clef and Presea hurried to the lower levels, she'd been placed in charge of the refugees from the north, fleeing the horrid cold that gripped much of the country.
The three Knights scurried to a corner and clustered together in a small circle talking about what they thought was the best role for them to take in the up coming battle and what they should do next.
"It's affected you hasn't it?" Camry asked Eagle as the young man passed him.
Eagle hesitated, "What's affected me?"
"Your time on the other side." Camry smiled, cocking his head to the side as he leaned against the door frame facing in the opposite direction Eagle was.
Eagle assumed he meant being able to sense his aura. "No I was able to do that before I was pulled to the other side."
"Really? Even mine, when I told all of you about my daughter or Solara's in the garden the first time you met her or when she helped you while you were taken captive? Did you know her intentions?" Camry raised an eyebrow in question, his maroon eyes steady.
Eagle started to protest but stopped as he realized Camry was right. He hadn't been able to sense any of that, only that strange wafting cold feeling they all emanated.
"Even though your time on the other side was brief, it moved you ever so slightly closer to being like one of us, it's only a tiny fraction of a bit, but it's changed the way you perceive myself as well as the other's around you."
Eagle considered it and thought perhaps it was possible, why not? With everything else that's already happened? He sighed heavily, "Well at lest your aura is no where near as horrible as Elantra's is, Impreza was horrible but Elantra's nearly made me sick just being near her."
Camry's head snapped up suddenly and he turned to face him, "You mean Elantra's aura was stronger than Impreza's?" He stared in confusion almost as if Eagle had told him the most impossible thing in the world.
"Yes, why does that mean some…?" Eagle couldn't finish as Camry turned and smiled as Hikaru came bounding up with Umi.
"Are you alright Camry? Really?" the redhead asked once more.
"I'm alright, nothing a little rest can't cure." Camry patted her head.
Hikaru studied his expression for a moment longer and then sighed, "If you say so."
Camry smiled and turned with them to head down the hallway, Lantis and Eagle were right behind them.
"Would you at least like a change of clothes, Camry?" Fuu questioned, most of his outfit was now full of tears and holes where there wasn't some sort of armor and he didn't wear much armor to start with.
"Aye, that might be a good idea." Camry nodded his thanks.
"Ok!" Hikaru clapped her hands together excited to be able to help him in some manor. "Let's go get some!" She grabbed hold of both her friends and drug them with her down the hall.
"Uh, Hikaru wait…." Umi protested a bit and glanced back at Eagle.
He smiled and she gave in to Hikaru's tugging hands and hurried after.
"I don't think Hikaru ever tiers." Eagle joked.
"Perhaps that's a good thing" Camry's gazed followed after the girls, "She'll need it all soon."
Eagle glanced back at Camry, wanting to ask what that meant but knew Camry would most likely not tell him.
Camry went to walk past him but suddenly a strong arm blocked his path, namely, Lantis' arm. His sharp navy blue eyes looked down at Camry as if trying to pin him to the wall with their glare.
"Did you need something?" Camry's voice never changed tone, but his eyes turned a hard shade of red.
"You're holding back." It was a statement, not a question.
"…" Camry did not answer.
"I want some answers out of you, now. I will not have any of the others harmed because you did not find it prudent to share information." Lantis forced Camry back a few steps, but the elder man held his ground. "Have you foreseen something of what is to come?"
"Yes." At this Camry looked over to Eagle who gulped quietly.
"What did you see?" A more demanding tone now, Lantis leaned foreword, using the full power his imposing height allowed him, pinning Camry to the wall.
Eagle started to protest; even though he wanted answers he didn't think threatening Camry was the best way to get them. "Lantis…"
Lantis silenced his friend with a glare and then turned his gaze back to Camry.
He returned the glare darkly, not thrilled with Lantis' rough housing and dissolved into the shadows of the wall reappearing a few paces down on the other side of Eagle. "Eagle has already seen as much, if not more, of what is to come than I have."
Eagle was about to disagree when Camry added, "Though he does not recall all of it and he also already knows why I can not tell you." He frowned, "Tell the girls I'll be back for my clothes later" and he melted into the darkness and did not reappear.
Lantis' pale forehead wrinkled in frustration and he turned to Eagle expectantly, "What did he tell you?"
Eagle sighed, a frown of his own pulled at his lips. "He told me the future is a difficult thing to change and if he were to tell us of what's going to happen then that could itself change the future and there is no guarantee that either he or I would see that new future."
Threading his hand though his hair Eagle bit his lip in frustration, "Lantis I don't know what to do. I think something's going to happen to either me or Umi but I'm not sure where or when, or even what exactly is going to happen. I don't know if I'll remember my dream in time to do anything about it…" anxious amber eyes turned up to the Cail.
Lantis sighed, letting his anger subside, "When the time comes you'll just have to do what you can, same as if you couldn't see the future in a dream." Lantis placed a hand on his shoulder.
Eagle nodded, hands rubbing his face. "I almost wish I couldn't, then a least my stomach wouldn't be tying itself in knots."
"Hey, where'd Camry go?" Hikaru's voice brought both men's attention down the hall.
The redhead was a few steps ahead of the other two, her arms full of clothes. Fuu behind her carried a cloak.
Eagle smiled as Umi came over to him carrying a pair of boots, "He said he'd be back for his clothes later."
"Why does he always disappear like that?" Hikaru frowned.
"Here I'll take them Hikaru, you're going with Fuu, right?" Umi reached out and took the outfit and cloak from her friends.
"Where are you going?" Lantis asked.
"To the lower level to help Presea with the refugees. Some of them are injured; the cold isn't the only thing out there." Fuu glanced out a small round window to the swirling snow outside.
"All the more reason for Chizeta and Fahren to arrive as soon as possible, Geo and I are supposed to contact them again before they make their final approach and update them on the current events." Lantis nodded to Hikaru, a simple gesture for her to be careful before he turned to head down the hall. He squeezed Eagle's arm in a silent attempt to reassure his friend as he passed him.
"Umi are you going to take all of Carmy's clothes with you?" Fuu asked.
"I'll take them to my room. If…" she stopped and corrected herself, When we see him again I'll tell him." She smiled gently not noticing Eagle's concerned expression as he turned and went slowly down the hall deep in thought.
"Okay, we'll see you in a little while. Are you going to come down too?" Hikaru questioned her curiously as she watched Eagle disappear down the hall. Her red eyes showed concern for both her friends.
Umi gazed quickly at Eagle's retreating form and then back to her friends. "I think it might be better if I stay up here."
Both of the other knights nodded in understanding and went to hurry downstairs.
Hikaru hesitated, "You'll make sure he's alright, right Umi?" she bit her lip gently.
"I will." Umi nodded firmly and Hikaru disappeared down the stairs.
Umi hurried to her room the put Camry's clothes away.
o o o
Eagle gazed forward but his mind didn't really register the large blue blossoms in front of him, nor did he notice their sweet scent that filled the air of the garden. His body and thoughts were consumed with one burning question.
"How do you change a future you don't know the outcome of?" he sighed, "How do you change something you don't know for certain?" he asked aloud to the flowers.
"Even though this is Cephiro, I don't think they'll answer you." A soft, sad laugh came to him.
He turned to the doorway to see Umi smiling at him gently.
"No, I don't suppose they will." He chuckled softly.
"They're my favorite you know. They don't exist in my world." She came and stood beside him admiring the rose bush. Reaching out she stroked one delicate flower's petals.
"They are a lovely shade of blue, they suite you." He carefully pulled a bloom free and handed it to her.
"Thank you." She accepted the flower.
Silence fell between them for a moment.
"You're still worried." It was not a question. She glanced at him for a moment before her eyes returned to the flower in her hands.
Eagle sighed, "Yes. Foolish of me I know, but I can't seem to help it. The future doesn't seem to be an easy thing to change, especially when you don't know exactly what it is you're trying to avoid. It hast me all tied up in knots."
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the small stone wall that divided the flowers from the orchid on the opposite side. When peace had finally been achieved and most of the residents of Cephiro returned to the land, many, many of the place rooms had been converted into gardens and orchids.
"Yes I guess that's true, it's hard to change something you can't see. I suppose it's why Princess Emeraude made the choices she made." Umi rested her chin in one gloved hand as she also leaned upon the wall next to him.
"What do you mean?" he dug a booted toe into the soft soil as he watched the trees sway in the breeze.
"Well, in theory, just like Mokona said, the Princess could have eradicated the Pillar system. In reality Hikaru's no more powerful than the Princess was, but unlike the Princess she had experienced things and met many different people during our journey, we all did, that allowed us to see a different path. One that the Princess could not see. The Princess could not change her fate, because she herself couldn't change. The option that Hikaru took was not a possibility in her mind. Not that anyone can blame her, she knew nothing else." Gloved hands tightened their grip on the rocky surface.
'…Because the easiest and most natural way to change the future is to change yourself and it is the people we meet that change us the most.' Eagle suddenly recalled similar words from Camry and smiled ruefully.
"So basically what you're saying is to change the future is to change yourself?" He reached for her hand and loosened it from the rocks, bringing it up kiss the back of her fingers.
"I guess that is a good way of putting it. Did someone tell you that?" she asked smiling as he gazed down at her though thick lashes.
"Camry, in short I suppose told me something similar." He twined their fingers together.
"It makes a lot of sense. We have very little control over the rest of the world or the actions of others, even here in Cephiro, but the choices we make are completely up to us."
"Yes. I think I understand what he meant when he told me that now. The future will change it's course naturally when you yourself change, but…" and here he hesitated.
"What?" she turned to him now.
"I pray that we've progressed enough to make that so."
o o o
A small smile pulled at Camry's frown as he gazed down from his place high above the docking tower, watching the Chizetan and Fahren ships come into view. He'd come up there to sulk a bit but now his eyes were glazed and far away, as if seeing something in a far off place.
"To change the future…" he murmured and then stood, the cool wind flying about him at the great height, "Your future resides on the other side of your choice…Eagle."
He steadied himself as the castle trembled slightly at the great weight of the docking ships. "That time is almost upon us, but…" here his eyes cleared again, the vision he had been seeing faded, "the future is still undecided."
AN: So Camry will leave us with the ending of this chapter and what do you know I have nothing clever to add, except a big thank you and I look forward to your feedback.
VKiera