Setsuna sat cross-legged in front of the table in a luxurious bed robe and her hair twisted up using two chopsticks. At the moment, she and Miaka were working on making a sizable dent in their dinner while the rest of the group discussed where to go next and when. She leaned back with a cup of green tea, listening quietly and checked to make sure that Houki had eaten her fill as well. The baby burped, sound asleep, and Setsuna smiled. "Sleep on, little Saturn, the world is still at peace."
"I still say we should head south! That was where the other Priestess was last heard to be. We need to find out what they're about," Hotohori argued. They'd been having this argument for the last hour or so and, frankly, Setsuna was getting bored of hearing it.
"You only want to go there so you can find out if your empire is in danger," Tamahoma snorted. "We need to start looking for the place to summon the Goddess. That's much more important!"
Setsuna sighed "I think we all need to go to bed. As we decided earlier, we most definitely are not moving out tomorrow, so lets enjoy these wonderful beds while we can, eh?"
"Speak for yourself. Our beds are as hard as rocks! As emperor, I should get to sleep in here," Hotohori complained.
"Well, since you wanted to travel incognito, I get to sleep I the noble chambers with my maid and young daughter," Setsuna smirked. She had to admit, she had a weakness for some of the more comfortable things in life. She stood up. "Good night. I think we all need to rest after the exhausting day today. We'll think more clearly in the morning and have time to ponder what we have discussed tonight." She watched everyone slowly nod in agreement, then stand up and leave. She had to admit, however, that she was startled to see Miaka joining them. "Miaka? Where are you going?" Miaka glanced back, blinking, and then looked at Tamahoma, blushing. Setsuna laughed. "Oh, well then, good night–and try to get some sleep, please." She didn't think that Miaka could have gotten redder, as she turned and hurried after Tamahoma, grabbing his arm and following him into the other room. Setsuna picked up Houki turned to her bed, blowing out the candles and making herself comfortable after double-checking that Houki would not get hurt during the night, then fell into a deep comfortable sleep.
"The Dark Goddess awakens." Setsuna's eyes flew open and she sat bolt upright, breathing hard. It must have just been a dream. A terrible one, however. Those mad eyes seemed to stare right at her, coming closer and closer...She shuddered and forced the image from her mind. "The Dark Goddess awakens." She jerked around, startled to hear her dreaming words spoken out loud. Houki was sitting up in bed next to her, staring grimly out the window and at the night sky. She was no longer a baby, but had changed into a child of about ten years old. She turned to look at Setsuna. "Pluto, we have to be ready." Setsuna slowly nodded, realizing that it hadn't been a nightmare at all, but a vision of what was coming. It had been a long time since she'd last had a nightmare of doom.
"Let's wait until morning. There is nothing that we can do now and they need to rest." Houki nodded in agreement and lay back down. Setsuna gently brushed her hair back, tucking the blanket up under her chin. "Sleep well tonight Houki. We are with good people and the night will not last forever." Houki nodded.
Setsuna lay back down, staring up at the ceiling. Long after Houki's breathing had evened out, she lay awake, staring. Finally, she got up and went to get her Glaive. "Open, Gates of Time." She waited, and then closed her eyes, concentrating and focusing on gathering al of her power. "Open, Gates of Time," she repeated. She felt her power begin to weave into a Gate...and then fizzle slowly out of existence. She lowered her Glaive and walked to the window, watching the moon. She and Houki were on their own for this battle, for there was no way to make a Gateway to get help. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the smooth wood of her Glaive, worn smooth from years of handling by her own hands. Two tears rolled slowly down her cheeks and she bit her lip so that she wouldn't wake Houki. They were doomed–even Houki.