Chapter 2:
Aura's Secret:
The altitude of the Hot Springs that Aura had taken Kenshi was just below the level of Ena's draft. From there the topography climbed steadily upwards to well beyond the limits of her Sacred Mechanoid. Stripping down to just her shirt and gym shorts the dark elf princess performed a quick series of stretches to loosen up before she gave chase.
Setting a pace that was punishing even for her, Aura soon picked up Kenshi's trail. Pushing herself to her very limit, she quickly closed the gap between the two of them until finally spying a makeshift shelter made from rock and brush sometime just after midday. From the distance he had covered in the short time they had been apart it was obvious to her that Kenshi had forced marched himself almost the entire previous evening, having finally collapsed when his strength failed him.
Walking up to his crude encampment, Aura spied Kenshi laying wrapped tightly in a blanket as he sought to shield himself from the cold. Not having very much sympathy for his having put her out so, she kicked him roughly in the side and ordered, "Move over!"
"Uh, what is it?" Kenshi asked her sleepily.
"I said move over!" Aura demanded. "It is just about my defective time and thanks to my having to chase after you I don't have a safe place to stay!"
"I'm sorry Aura; I thought you would understand that without you I couldn't go back."
"I don't have time to argue with you right now Kenshi, just unwrap that blanket and slide over."
Doing as he was instructed, Kenshi unwrapped the blanket from around himself and Aura quickly lay down next to him spooning up from behind as she did so.
Relaxing her mental discipline, she allowed the unknown fear that plagued her kind to run free as she let her emotions run wild. Interestingly, she noted her fear just was not as pervasive as it usually was. "Could it be that all I really need is to feel the strength of another next to me at times like this?" She thought to herself.
Hoping to use this time of weakness to her advantage, Aura whispered in his ear. "You know Kenshi, when I get like this you could easily take advantage of me and there would be nothing I could do to stop you. Of course, in your case I really wouldn't mind all that much were you to do so."
"I would never betray your trust in such a fashion princess."Kenshi answered her softly.
"You mean you're not going to take advantage of me?" Aura asked, the sound of disappointment plainly evident in her voice.
"Afraid not."
"Well then, in gratitude of your chivalry I will let you in on my secret."
"What secret?" Kenshi asked her.
"The reason why I cannot become your Queen." Aura explained.
"If you don't want to tell, then there is nothing to tell. You have your reasons, that's all I really need to know."
"No Kenshi, you do need to know. I am trying to prevent a war here and without your cooperation, I doubt I will be successful. So let me explain to you why I cannot become your Queen."
"If you insist."
"My story starts with a conundrum; you see as a member of royalty in direct line of succession to the King I have a responsibility to remain pure. However, as a Sacred Mechamaster I also have a duty to procreate with other Sacred Mechamasters for the greater good of the Kingdom's defense. Normally that decision should have been determined by my own personal choice and the royal family's political situation, however, in my case that decision was made for me long ago."
"What you mean?" Kenshi asked.
"Let me explain by beginning with a question, tell me honestly; how old do you think I really am?"
"I don't really know," Kenshi answered her, "in human years maybe 20, 25 years old."
"If I were to ask you the true meaning of those numbers you would probably say that they represent the prime of a woman's life now wouldn't you?"
"Exactly."
"Well then let me let you in on a little secret, in human terms I am really only 17 years old!"
"What!" Kenshi shouted in surprise.
"It's true; I'm really only two years older than you." Aura explained as she snuggled in closer to him. "You see, a dark elf's span of years is only half that of the human. If a human lives to be 100 years old then my lifespan will be approximately half of that."
"I'm sorry princess, I didn't realize. Most of the people I know from other worlds live much longer than humans. Those years… those years must be very special to you; I think I understand now why you don't want to waste them."
"No Kenshi, you misunderstand." Aura stopped him, "Don't feel sorry for me, this is just the way of things for us and frankly I wouldn't have it any other way. Because, in exchange for this short march of years I have also been granted a very full life. Dark elves mature faster than humans do and we age more slowly after we reach maturity. Between now and when my body is returned to the forest for the last time neither my physical prowess nor my beauty will have declined.
"I only mentioned this as background for the secret I must tell you, a secret for which you must now take responsibility. You see, a disconnect exists between the physical speed in which our body matures and the maturity of our minds. When I was just 13, my physical body had not quite achieved a level of maturity that you see before you today but I still cast quite a striking figure. Unfortunately, my mental maturity was still that of a much younger girl.
"When I first came to the school five years ago I caught the eye of a male sacred mechamaster several years my senior. He came from one of the northern kingdoms and dark elves were something of an enigma to him. He became enamored of me and being the spoiled brat that he was, just had to have me for himself. I told him no over and over again but he would not listen. One day he tried getting physical with me and wound up with a broken arm for his trouble.
"For that reason or maybe just spite, my constant humiliation of him angered his classmates and they began to spy on me. Eventually, they uncovered the secret of my defective time and where I went in the forest to hide when the spells came over me. So, one day when the time was right his friends made up a story saying that I had told them that I was sorry for what I had done and was waiting for him in the forest so I could make it up to him. He found me, exactly where they told him I would be, and as I explained… there was nothing I could do to stop him."
"I'm sorry that had to happen to you Princess, I really am. Nevertheless, one of the truths that my grandfather likes to harp on is the one about all of us being nothing more than the sum total of our experiences. You should not let one sour experience like that hold you back."
"This is your rather sweet way of saying you don't really care about my past." Aura finished for him. "However, the damage is already done and my purity is lost. Remember, The Church is final arbiter of succession for all countries within the Ena Ocean. They are the self-appointed guardians of the bloodlines of all the royal families on Geminar and ascension is only possible with their approval. Because I'm not pure, I won't be recognized as Swan's second in command!"
"There must be some way that we can… we can… Oh, crap!" Kenshi exclaimed as he rolled out of the blanket and puked on the ground.
Her defective time now passed Aura quickly jumped up and took charge. "I warned you that you were going to need to spend some more time in that bath! But no, you just had to runaway and now we're both stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no way to call for help!"
Kenshi's only answer was to gag as his stomach purged itself once again.
Pressing her forehead against his Aura gasped, "Damn it Kenshi, you're burning up and I didn't bring any of my medicines with me!"
"I've got… some herbs… in my… bag." Kenshi forced out between convulsions.
"I just hope you brought the right ones." Aura snapped.
Spying his bag on the ground Aura began rifling through it before finally extracting the herbs she thought might be of some help. Placing the ingredients on a large rock, she took another small rock and began pounding them into paste. When she was through she added them to Kenshi's canteen and holding his nose, she forced the entire contents down his throat.
Finished, she glared at him and said, "Okay! You and I are going to march back to that Hot Spring and we are not leaving until I say so! Do you understand Kenshi!"
Knowing from the tone of Aura's voice that she would brook no argument Kenshi nodded his head weakly.
"Good, because if you try to run away again I will break both your legs!"
Having no other choice Kenshi nodded his head in acceptance and leaning heavily on Aura for support the two began the long walk back to the Hot Springs.
"I swear Kenshi; you had better marry me for all the trouble I'm going to on your behalf!" Aura whispered under her breath.
"Only if… you agree… to be… queen of… the Swan."
"I already told you, the Church won't recognize me!"
"There must be… some way… to get… around that."
"If you can think of one I'm all ears." Aura told him gently, "Now hush, it's a long way back and you will need your strength."
000
The pair marched on in silence for about four hours, their voices silent as their thoughts raced. Not that Aura had any say in the matter when she had lost it, but still she felt guilty. Aura knew Kenshi needed her, needed her badly and she was barred from helping due to circumstances beyond her control.
What really irked her was the fact that Kenshi was right! Aura had been trained from the time she was little to be a leader, she was good at what she did and she knew it! Not only that, but with her as Queen her father would be more likely to come to Swan's aid if the situation warranted. Aura knew she would make a good Queen, probably even a great Queen, were it not for the minor problem of her chastity.
Finally, after the end of four hours, Kenshi could no longer stand the silence and asked Aura, "Whatever became of the man who assaulted you?"
"You know that is really the saddest part of my story," she told him, "you see the big buffoon did not understand about my defective time. When he did what he did, he thought I really wanted him! When later he found out the truth, he was horrified at what he had done and tried to make amends. You would not believe the lengths he went to prove that he could be a worthy husband. Nevertheless, no matter how hard he tried I could not get past the fact that he had forced himself on me, so I just rejected him.
"But to answer your question directly: He managed to kill himself his final year at school, trying to prove that you could extend the range of a Sacred Mechanoid. In principle, he was trying to do the same thing that you showed us how to do with those, what did you call them, trebuchets? His method wasn't as sophisticated as yours. He tried to power through it by taking his Sacred Mechanoid and accelerating it at low altitude until he reached maximum speed then point it upwards and fly straight up out of the draft, letting his Sacred Mechanoid revert to cocoon mode momentarily before it cleared the wall then re-form when it reentered the draft on the other side.
"He got pretty good at it too. Once he thought he had all the bugs worked out he summoned his instructors to show them what he learned. Unfortunately, he always practiced this trick at low altitudes. This day he was looking to leave a lasting impression so he made his approach higher and steeper than he should have, causing him to shoot up much farther than was necessary to clear the wall. Unfortunately, he forgot to account for the crosswinds that existed that high outside of the draft."
"You mean he…?"
"Correct, he made an impression alright, splattered his dumb ass all over the wall! If you look closely just to the left side of the gate where the images of the Goddess reside you will see a small shrine placed in his memory just outside of the draft. Every now and then when I'm feeling particularly remorseful I'll place an offering there in remembrance."
"So then, other than him how many people know of what happened to you?"
"There are a few, the two senior girls who helped me hide the evidence and of course his so-called buddies that set the two of us up."
"I have to ask, does your father know?"
Stopping suddenly, Aura released Kenshi's arm and let him slide to the ground. "My father does not know of this and he never will! Were he to find out then he would be honor bound to declare war on the kingdom from whence that dead moron hailed!"
"I'm sorry Aura, that's not what I meant to imply, but if there were some way to restore your honor then wouldn't the Church be required to recognize your legitimacy?"
"Kenshi, you're beating your head against a stone wall here. As King, you must learn to recognize the fact that sometimes the Goddess is going to lay one on you and you will have no other choice but deal with it!"
"Still, there must be a way."
"Forget it Kenshi," Aura rebuked him, "As a Sacred Mechamaster I am duty bound to fight for the kingdom I serve, but as a future ruler and leader of my country, am I not also obligated to pursue peace until all avenues are exhausted? Even unto death, if that is what is required of me! So, me keeping a lid on an assault that happened four years ago is a relatively minor sacrifice don't you think?"
She paused for a moment then reached out her hand in order to help him back, but he pushed her away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get short with you but you have been entrusted with a powerful secret, one that if misused could plunge this continent into war." Aura apologized.
"Even unto death," Kenshi echoed, "maybe that is the reason why I am in the condition that I am."
"What do you mean?"
"It's called the sword of the Light Hawk." Kenshi answered her cryptically.
"What is?"
"The weapon by which I was able to defeat Lord Babalun. I sometimes have heard it referred to as the ultimate power in the Universe! As a defense, it cannot be breached. As a weapon, it cannot be defended against!"
"Excuse me, but aren't you taking on airs?" Aura asked him bemusedly.
"Do you really think so?" Kenshi replied seriously, "Gaia represented the height of your civilization's technology. It took three of your best to beat it to a draw 1000 years ago! Lord Babalun spent untold lifetimes in order to resurrect that monstrosity because he thought there was nothing that could stand against it! Yet I took him down in less than 3 seconds with that weapon! The Light Hawk sword that I bested him with is the lowest manifestation of what is known as the Light Hawk wing. My half-brother, Tenchi, is the only other human in the universe who can do what I did. There are interplanetary civilizations dependent on this technology! Entire planets have been destroyed just to keep this secret safe. Do you understand what I am telling you, Aura! This is a power too great for any human to wield! If other civilizations around other stars discover that Geminar knows of the Light Hawk then it will be destroyed!"
"Kenshi, what are you trying to say?"
"I guess I was too sick to realize it until now but Geminar wants me, actually needs me dead! Your very planet's survival depends on it. I know it won't help you prevent this next war, but at least it will be fought by honorable warriors with weapons they understand and not megalomaniacs wielding swords so sharp they can cleave the planet in two!"
"Kenshi, please stop. You're starting to frighten me!" Aura pleaded.
"You know I'm right princess, with me dead, the secret of the Light Hawk dies with me. Go back to your Hot Springs, tell everyone you found me but I ran away before you could help me. The Aho sickness will take me shortly, you can even tell everyone that I made you my wife before I died, that should count for something regarding who retains control of Swan. You can still help Lashara that way; you might even still be able to prevent that war."
Aura studied Kenshi's face closely, in the course of their relationship she had thought she had seen the entire gamut emotions it could display, from joy to grief and anger to love. Today for the first time she saw a new emotion, the emotion of a man determined to lay down his life to save another.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Aura asked him sadly.
"No, it's not what I want," Kenshi answered, "It's what I need to do."
"Very well then," Aura said sadly before kneeling down and hugging him from behind. "I understand."
Holding him tenderly she pressed her body to his and waited for him to relax. Once Aura was sure Kenshi's guard was down she quickly shifted her grip and placed him in a sleeper hold. Kenshi tried to fight back but he was too weak. Weaker even than when Chiaia had bested him that first night.
"I'm sorry Kenshi," Aura cried as her tears soaked his shirt, "but I know in my heart that the Goddess did not send you here only to take you away so soon after."
Waiting until she was sure he was unconscious, Aura removed her blouse and tearing it into several strips; she used it to hog-tie him to prevent his escape.
After Aura was done with that, she then sprinted the entire distance to her Sacred Mechanoid and activated her emergency beacon.
Shortly thereafter, the sleepy image of the Swan's night duty helmsman appeared on her screen.
Immediately recognizing the dark elf princess, he came to attention and asked her. "Yes Princess, how can we be of assistance?"
"I'm sorry Helmsman, but I need you to move the Swan as close as you can to my coordinates for an emergency Mechanoid recovery."
"Yes, Princess we'll be at you location in twenty minutes."
"Very well, now could you please patch me over to Wahanly…?"
000
When Kenshi woke again he discovered that he was strapped into one of the most insidious machines he had ever seen. Wahanly, under Aura's direction, had constructed a combination cage, ducking arm and automatic feeding system that she could control from the driver's seat of one of her mechaworkers. Additionally, the Sacred Mechamechanic had added sensors to the device that allowed the operator to monitor the amount of negative Aho still present in the patient's tissues.
For the next three days, Aura watched over Kenshi's progress as she slowly, patiently purged the negative Aho from his body. During the entire time Kenshi had not said a word and just waited, waiting for when he was free so he could do what he knew he needed to do.
Aura was no fool however, she was well aware that the practice of ritual suicide, seppuku, existed on some worlds and she did not intend to let Kenshi waste the life she had so painstakingly saved.
Once her task was complete Aura sat down next to his cage and began to explain her actions. Taking her dagger from its sheath, she watched Kenshi's eyes as they followed the blade.
"I know nothing of this 'Greatest power in the Universe' or why you think you must die to save us from it! Frankly, I don't care! One thing I have learned by studying the history of this planet is; the seeds of all future wars were planted in the last! To stop a conflict from spiraling out of control today is the same as to stop uncounted wars from happening tomorrow! You are the key to that future! A future without war! A future without need for such weapons."
Moving her dagger to and foe Aura observed that Kenshi's eyes no longer followed the blade; they were focused inward towards his heart, where she needed him to look.
"I know you don't feel like talking, so you just sit there while I tell you a story about my mother," she told him.
"My mother was a lot like Chiaia, a member of the guard charged with keeping Shurifon safe. She was injured in a border skirmish with Havoniwa not to far from here and placed on light duty with the Palace Guard while she healed. It was during that time that she became enamored of my father. In Shurifon, any guard is considered worthy of marriage into the royal family... If the future husband agrees and if they can pass the test.
"I don't know if my father thought it was a joke, or if he really loved her. Whatever the reason, he agreed to allow her the privilege to fight for his hand. Now this test I speak of is similar to Shurifon's national pastime of the Forest Race, except that the traps are real and you are constantly battling the other contenders who are doing their dead level best to take you out. Only the winner ever finishes this race!
"In my mother's case she easily defeated all the other contenders and was allowed to marry my father, the then future King. Shortly after they were wed I was born," Aura smiled up at him, "two years after that my mother died."
"She died?" Kenshi heard himself ask involuntary.
"That's right Kenshi, she died. But don't be sad, for it seems that she neglected to tell my father her true age. You see, my mother was over fifty years old when she met my father. The reason she was able to dispatch all her rivals so handily was simply because she was that much more experienced than they were. From some of the paintings of her that hang in the palace I take it that she was also very beautiful. My poor old sod of a father never stood a chance, for which I'm grateful. As to her motivations, my mother had spent her entire life securing the peace and happiness of others and now that her race was over she simply wanted to share in a small piece of that happiness for herself and to secure for her daughter, me, the best life she could."
"I tell you this because I want you to understand why I've done what I've done."
Looking at her suspiciously Kenshi asked, "And what did you do, other than saving my life I mean?"
Walking up to his cage, Aura hit the release and Kenshi fell sprawling at her feet. Taking her dagger, she cut the restraints that bound him then placed the knife in his hands. Taking three steps back, she removed her clothes and stood naked before him.
"When Wahanly was out rigging this thing up I let it slip that you had made me your Queen. I'm using the past tense on purpose by the way."
"You told her what!"
"I surrender Kenshi, you win! If the only way I can guarantee your cooperation is to do this then so be it! I will suffer being your Queen!"
"I'm sorry Aura, I thought you said you liked me? I didn't really mean to force you. Well maybe I did a little. I am sorry about what happened to you, I really am." Kenshi sympathized, "Nevertheless, the fact remains that you were not just the best choice. You were in fact the only choice! You possess the wisdom of your father, the strength of a warrior and the willingness to make the hard decisions when they need to be made even, in the face of overwhelming opposition."
Kenshi looked at her sadly and sighed before he continued, "I appreciate your sacrifice, I really do, but the fact still remains that that path is not the one I should be walking anymore." He finished as he pondered the dagger in his hands.
"I do like you Kenshi, otherwise why would I go to such lengths to save you from your own folly?" She smiled. "Which is why I told Wahanly what I did. When last seen, you were alive and being cared for by me. Should anything untoward happen to you it will be assumed that I had something to do with it." Aura explained as she smiled wickedly. "By me claiming to be your queen, it will be assumed that I had you killed for political gain. Shurifon will be sanctioned, the alliance with Havoniwa and Shtrayu will be dissolved and though not likely I could be put to death!"
"You're not playing fair Princess."
"You've left me no choice, I give up, you win."
"Seems to me that you're the one who has won." Kenshi told her.
Smiling gently Aura continued, "You should always be careful what you wish for, Kenshi, you might just get it. However, my capitulation does not come without conditions."
"For some reason I just knew there was a catch, what are they?" Kenshi sighed.
"First off I expect you to take responsibility for the secret with which you have been entrusted. It will only be a matter of time before my shame is revealed. When that happens, you cannot send me back to my father as soiled goods. Instead, I expect you to defend my honor when the need arises.
"Secondly, I will not make the same mistake as my mother. If you expect me to sit by your side in the throne room then I will expect you to lay by mine in the bedchamber. As you said of Chiaia so will it be for me, I deserve my chance at happiness, my life is too short for me to allow otherwise. Goddess knows the times we will be alone together will be few enough.
"Thirdly and most important I need you to consummate this marriage here and now!"
"Condition one I will agree to without hesitation, the honor of my queen I will defend as if it were my own, condition two I'm a bit iffy on but I'm used to sharing the same room with my sisters, so that shouldn't be a problem. But number three, don't you think we should wait a little bit to see if we're… compatible?" Kenshi stammered.
"No Kenshi, it can't wait for two reasons; First, the Church has observers everywhere. They will be looking for evidence that our… union was consummated. If we can tell them, truthfully, that it took place while we were bathing in the healing waters of this Hot Spring they will have nothing to observe. Second, things will start to happen fast as the political situation tries to re-align itself with our new reality. Therefore, if you want me to be able to speak with force of law, then when next I set foot on Swan you will have made me your Queen, in fact and in deed!"
Realizing that he had been outmaneuvered, Kenshi smiled and proffered her the dagger, hilt first then said, "I accept."
000
Taking the dagger from his hand, Aura placed it back in its sheath then led Kenshi into the bath, and there in the those sacred waters the once Princess Aura Shurifon became Aura, Queen of Swan.