Different World of a Different Time
by Moonlight Eternal
- -
Chapitre 2
"Sir Endymion, where are we going again?" Rini lifted a hand to rub her eyes. She'd only just woken up and suddenly the man she'd recently met was leading her somewhere through the palace. Even if she'd been alert, she'd never have remembered where she was or even where she was heading.
"You can just call me Endymion, Lady Rini," Endymion had been relieved to find that when he had taken Rini's hand no visions had accompanied it. She didn't even seem to recall what had happened before she'd passed out last time. Either that or she didn't want to recall it. Endymion wondered absently whether her powers were only present when she was tired or maybe overwhelmed… He certainly couldn't sense any when she'd woken up, or before when he'd rescued her from the Lake of Ryu. Just in case anything began to surface, though, Malachite was on hand to break the contact and revive him. Helios had put him up to it (not that Malachite needed any persuasion); neither were taking any chances with their prince's life.
"Only if you call me plain Rini. Plain names are better than titles…" Not willing to force her further into description, Endymion decided to answer her questions, though he did make a note of the fact that she wasn't used to being called simple names. That indicated that she was minor nobility at least. So he gave his answer. Well, partially.
"To visit my elder sister. She's the one you met earlier today who was with me….I suppose you didn't exactly MEET her but she's pretty distinguishable-"
"The pretty woman with pink hair?" Rini questioned. An accurate description of Rose, Endymion concluded. Although pretty was stretching that a bit. Rose was not just pretty, she was beautiful. Everyone's first impression of her was gorgeous, pink haired woman with crystal blue eyes, and a figure that most men went gaga over. She looked like the perfect Lady... until she opened her mouth.
"The same," Endymion smiled.
"Do you have any other sisters?" Rini questioned Endymion mildly.
"Yes," a flash of pain passed through Endymion's eyes. "She's younger than me by several years."
"Really? I don't have any brothers or sisters, but I have always wanted a younger sister. Once I asked my papa for one, but he told me to take it up with my mama."
Endymion choked back a laugh. He was beginning to think he would like Rini's father, but a small section of him pitied the man who had to deal with this forward child. After a moment of silence, Endymion glanced down at the little (despite what she thought) girl who was connected to him by his hand. Although her face was blank, her eyes swirled with deep emotions. Endymion felt them beginning to spiral into him as well, just at the mention of both of her parents. His vision began to cloud with an aShlin. While part of him, the sensible yet selfish part he guessed, wanted to drop Rini's hand, his sensitive, curious, and slightly stupid side held it tighter.
Luckily, it was at that point that a familiar sight loomed into view preventing the need for any intervention to stop Endymion from fainting in the corridor. The training center door was solid metal with spell symbols engraved to keep any magic cast within to remain within, and not go bouncing down the corridor to meet its end on some helpless servant carrying a tin of cakes...Not that that had ever happened before. Those seals were very useful when young terran royalty were having trouble controlling their newly awakened powers. "And you're sure she's here?" Malachite spoke up from his thoughtful silence behind the two.
Endymion closed his eyes… "Yes, she's there. Her presence is just beyond the door."
Malachite's face displayed a malicious smile. He looked like a small child watching his best friend fall into a trap that would force him into taking a bath. "Malachite…" Endymion recognized the face, having seen it many times for many different reasons. He had been on the receiving end of it more times than one…
"Yes, yes, I know, best behaviour," despite his answer, the smile widened as Endymion opened the door.
"Rose?" he called out almost cautiously. Malachite, however, swept right past Endymion striding confidently into the room with his arms wide spread and voice booming strongly.
"QUARTZ, my dear, my darling, my treasure, my life, how are you on this fine example of a day?" Rini did not see them thrown, but it was quite obvious Malachite had, when he caught two roses, in one hand near his throat and another in front of his groin. "Tsk tsk tsk," Malachite shook his head in mock disappointment, handing the two perfectly bloomed pink roses to Rini carefully. She noticed they were quite sharp on the tips. "Quartz, my love, you've lost your touch. You used to at least graze my cheek…"
"That's very brave of you to say, considering you are weaponless where as I have an endless supply, ready to be hurled at you. Too much more taunting on your part and you'll never reproduce even if there was a poor girl stupid enough to fall in love with you…" a girl in the center of the large training hall spat out indignantly.
"Such idle threats do nothing…" Malachite sighed sadly. "Your sharp tongue has cut all the grief and sense out of me."
"What are you doing here?" The girl, no young woman, asked venomously.
"Just accompanying your most illustrious brother and his beautiful new companion here, Quartz. It was nice seeing you again…" Malachite waved and blew a kiss as he exited. Rose threw something out of the door after him. "Missed me…" Malachite's voice echoed faintly as the door shut.
Rose cursed under her breath, then turned towards Endymion. It was the first good look Rini had gotten of her. She was a tall girl, not much shorter than Endymion, and obviously in top physical condition. Her hair was pink, like Rini's, but the coloring was slightly redder. It was
pulled into a high ponytail at the back of her head. Her eyes were a shade lighter than Endymion's were, although they smiled in the same way. She wore a black, plain tunic that showed off her adult body nicely. Her lips were also quite pink, although at that moment they were forming a deep frown. Rini got the impression she did not like Malachite…
"Endy, I really am serious. I am going to KILL-" Rose's eyes, for the first time, found her younger brother in the room, as well as Rini. "Is this the little girl from earlier?" the woman's eyes looked questioningly at Endymion, who smiled and nodded. Rini clutched him tighter as the woman's attention fully focused on her, but he gently pushed her forwards toward his sister.
"I'm Rose-Quartz," she knelt in front of the short Rini, took both of the child's hands into her own, and bent her head to them in formal greeting. "I am honored to welcome you to Gaia's Palace."
Rini faintly remembered this form of greeting, so she too bowed her head in the ancient formal greeting her father had made her learn. "I am Rini and I humbly receive your hospitality." She looked up into Rose-Quartz's smiling face and was faintly reminded of a member of her mother's court, Queen Lita of Jupiter. She had the same aura of muscle and strength.
"What's with the look you're giving me, Small Lady Rini?" Rose-Quartz asked, smiling a little. Rini was brought out of thought over the surprise of the name she had been called. How did Rose know that was her nickname?
Endymion, looking on fondly, though he expected Rini to give the same blatant reply about her size versus name status he himself had received. He was somewhat surprised himself when Rini's serious face lightened a bit. Obvious 'Little One and 'Small Lady' held different meanings for her…He tucked that piece of information away too.
"It's just that you remind me of a close friend of my mother's, Lady Rose-Quartz." Rini let her hands drop to her sides and clutched at the skirt of her blue outfit.
"Just call me Rose, please," Rose had grimaced at her own name. "Not even Lady Rose. I get Lady this and Lady that from all the self-righteous pricks of courtiers trying to catch my eye…" a thundercloud rolled onto Rose's face at the thought. Rini swore that it darkened a little outside.
"Rose." Endymion jumped into the conversation as his sister's face visibly clouded.
"Endymion," Rose turned to look solely at her brother. Her tone was serious. "NEVER let your daughter be swamped by suitors," she stared darkly. "And never try and force her to be something she doesn't want to be. i.e. a wife."
"I'll try to remember that if I have a daughter," Endymion said, somewhat taken aback. He had known she had been having difficulties, but… "Hasn't he…?" Rose shook her head. Rini felt the slight sting of sadness lingering in the air but the clouds outside rolled back.
"Well, anyway," Rose planted a large smile on her face, "What brings you both to see me?"
"Multiple things…" Endymion trailed off, unsure of where to begin. He glanced down at the main problem again, once more to find Rini eying the instruments in the training room with great interest. "Rini, you can have a look around her if you want," he offered, releasing the hand he had automatically taken when he had moved to her side. Rini looked up at him with a mixture of emotions. She realized that Endymion meant to speak with his sister semi-privately, and she knew whatever they were talking about would be interesting. Whether to eavesdrop or not was her dilemma; on one hand, Endymion was most likely going to talk about her. But then, she had sighted a LiKana Board at the far end of the training center…
Choices.
As Endymion and Rose watched the pink haired child scamper off, both smiled wistfully; Eternal would be just a couple of years older than her…
"So," Rose tossed a fencing sword to her younger brother and took the beginning stance, "where's she from?"
"You always start with the hard questions," Endymion grumbled. He checked the sword for balance, exchanged it for another, and moved into the ready position in time to block Rose's first swing.
"I didn't think it too difficult myself…" Rose said thoughtfully. "Obviously your intellect just isn't up to the challenge."
"It's actually quite complicated, Rose. I have to wonder if she's even from this time."
"From this time? You mean she time travelled to get here?"
"I think so. It would explain why she seems so clueless about a lot of things here."
"So you're certain?"
"Almost. The real question there is whether she is from the past or the future. Everything else about her is pretty much a guess. She's…well, what I know POSITIVELY WITHOUT A DOUBT is that…she had aShlin."
"WHAT?!" Rose dropped her sword and Endymion quickly had to change his sword's path before it sliced through his sister's lowered guard. He quickly glanced over at Rini. The hall was deserted, so he was not too worried about anyone overhearing them. But Rini was within hearing distance…
He spied her playing with the LiKana board some ways away, enraptured by it.
"Endymion," Rose had recovered, but her voice still trembled. "That's not-"
"Oh believe me, it's possible. She almost overwhelmed me while she was doing it."
"I didn't think it was possible to overwhelm you. You've got the most power ever recorded."
"Yeah, well…" Endymion went on to tell his sister all about the events of the earlier day, while she'd been off doing who-knew-what ("I was training to beat up all those men knocking down my doors since my incompetent little brother can't seem to get his act together!"
"I resent that you think me being the crown prince should come second to your-"
"It comes second to everything else…"
"It does not!"
"Yes it does."
"No it doesn't!"
"Fine, I'll back down for now, but it's still at your expense. Maybe your being crown prince does not come second to everything. It is not more important than moi, but its OBVIOUSLY more important than that incompetent, stuck up, arrogant, male, chauvinist, stupid, idiotic, best-friend of yours. I swear he-"
("You're straying for the subject, Rose.").
In the end, his sister looked as if she'd just watched the Queen of the Moon herself take a stumble down the stairs (which was far from likely to ever occur as a) the Queen of the Moon didn't stumble, and b) both Endymion and Rose weren't likely to go to the moon any time soon as the Earth and Moon weren't QUITE on the best of speaking terms). "What do you suggest?" her brother asked, relieved that he was not alone in thinking all of this somewhat unnatural.
"Suggest? What can I suggest?! You cannot let her out of your SIGHT Endymion! It's quite obvious we need to get her an adviser, teach her before she blows something up-"
"But how can we convince her to stay here? Just because she found her way here does not mean she will want to stay. She could just as easily find her way out, I'd imagine."
"You'll have to talk to her."
"Me?! Why me, why not you?! You're a girl!"
"Endymion-" Rose stopped mid-informative sentence as a loud explosion erupted from the side of the room a small child had once inhabited.
- -
"Hark! Is that Endymion I hear on approach?" Malachite called from the couch as he heard trudging feet open the study door later that afternoon. He didn't bother to turn around as Endymion did not deny that was who it was. "How was your visit with dear Quartzy?" he continued in the same sing-song voice.
"What, Endymion's back?" Zoisite asked, emerging from behind a stack of books followed by Helios. "Good, we have LOADS to review before the meet-" He trailed off as his eyes roamed up and down the new arrivals.
"What happened to you two?" Helios asked bluntly, eyeing both Endymion and Rini's semi-charred state. "When did Rose learn to use those Martian flame powers? I specifically TOLD Lady Gupta to keep her away from that section of the library, it's bad enough having poor inexperienced Jed…"
"As far as I know, Martian powers are still escaping my elder sibling," Endymion muttered. "Although I will add another small impish pink-haired person to the list of those who aren't allowed near dangerous powers…" Endymion could not help but glare down a bit at Rini, who was counting the number of fibres in the carpet.
"So…" Zoisite attempted to coax Endymion into a little bit of an explanation by using hand gestures.
"I'll tell you later. For now, I can't seem to find Lady Marganta. Everyone has been steering me in different directions and I SWEAR that woman is avoiding me. Do YOU know where she is?"
"I last saw her in the 2nd Hall," Zoisite said, still attempting to overpower the look of utter confusion that only crossed his face once a year.
"Your information," Endymion slumped down next to Malachite on the couch, "is outdated…" He glared at Malachite as his older friend brushed some imaginary ashes off his shoulder. Malachite gave him a quirky smile back. Rini cautiously climbed up into the love seat nearby. Endymion, after a moment, glanced over at her and smiled tiredly. "Don't worry, Rini, I'm not unhappy with you or anything." Rini glared at him sceptically before she returned to twiddling her thumbs. Endymion sighed heavily. How in the world was he supposed to win her trust if he lost his temper so eas-
A pair of luminous turquoise eyes appeared in front of Endymion a mere couple of inches from his own dark cobalt. "What's this latest development?" Helios asked curiously, though he attempted to make it sound as if he were as indifferent to the topic as to the weather.
"Don't DO that Helios…" Endymion said, looking to his left to find equally large glacial ice eyes boring into him. Malachite had leant in too. Groaning, Endymion looked back towards Rini.
"Oh come now, tell us the story," Malachite joined in. Even though he wasn't looking at him, Endymion could just TELL he was smiling like an idiot about this.
"You are in FAR too good of a mood, Malachite. And say something without Nephrite or Jadeite? Um no, I'll wait until they return from wherever…"
"They were debating which fruit tasted better," Malachite stated disinterestedly, turning back to the book in his lap and masking his face with his normal, indifferently serious visage.
"I'll bet you anything they're down in the kitchen…" Zoisite added while studying his fingernails.
"Now, why are we going to look for Mrs. Marganta?" Helios asked, stretching his arms over his head tiredly.
"'We? WE weren't going anywhere…" Endymion moaned as he forced his already overtired body to stand. "Rini, you can stay here if you want…"
From the fearful look he got after she glanced over at Malachite and then Zoisite, lastly Helios, Endymion guessed she would be accompanying him. He sighed heavily; so much for a time saving search. He wished he knew why she was scared of them… yeah, Malachite was huge and looked like an ice cube most of the time (on the days he hadn't tortured Rose), and Zoisite could be a little intimidating at times…when he was overworking for the Council, but she hadn't seen him like that yet. Nephrite was really just a big teddy bear once you got to know him and forgot about the odd obsession with astrology and hair ribbons, and no one could call Helios scary… but then again, he had wanted to exorcise her… And Jadeite…well, Jadeite HAD set the furniture on fire that one time that did not look too good on his record. All in all, Endymion sighed again. 'Never mind.'
Helios noticed the looks Rini gave, or at least the look he received. Clapping his hands together, he exclaimed, "Endy, how about we come too!"
It was not really a question, so Endymion did not bother to object. What would be the point anyway? Even if he WON an argument, which only happened when Endymion was angry to start, Helios would curse him tonight at the ceremony, a curse that would undoubtedly last for a week. This curse would of course lead Endymion to finding himself in the worst possible scenarios imaginable for what would seem an ENDLESS week. He could hardly think of what had happened the last time Helios had cursed him because Endymion had eaten the last piece of bread before Helios reached it. And that had only been a day long summons…
- -
"But I don't WANT to take a walk!"
"Oh Gods…" Endymion muttered.
"I didn't know anyone could WHINE so much!!" Malachite blocked his ears.
"Zoisite, quiet down, you'll wake Rini up!" Helios shushed the shorter guard.
"But why do I have to come too??"
"Think of it as your yearly trip outdoors…" Malachite said sarcastically.
"You know just as well as I that that is NOT true. Today was my only real day off for the next month and I was going to spend it-"
"With a good book," Endymion, Malachite, and Helios joined in. "Or 10. We know."
"You seem to forget that this is our only day off too. Well, except for Helios," Malachite spared a glare for the High Priest.
"Hey, I don't get to sleep half the nights before my 'days off' and consequently spend all of them sleeping so quit patronizing me…"
"And even putting everything aside, you could use a good walk, Zoi," Endymion put in, hushing the other two with a glare. "You don't want to risk getting pudgey. Besides, we need all the eyes we can get. Lady Marganta seems to be avoiding us…"
The entourage had already looked through half the palace (as well as asked half the servants) in an attempt to find the Chief Housemaid who was also given the administrative position of assigning rooms to visiting noblemen, ladies, and other such guests. And yet she eluded them still. So Malachite and Helios decided, as soon as Rini fell asleep, to take a walk outside through the West Gardens off their portion of the palace. Zoisite found himself dragged along, and Endymion's exhaustion had not yet reached the point where he would be crazy enough to argue.
"Although, Malachite," Helios began again, "since Endymion IS skirting almost all of his duties as Crown Prince, isn't he technically always getting days off?"
"Good point, Exorcist," Malachite affirmed, smiling as Helios' own smile twitched at the corners. "Endy does get the most days off as he never really works…"
Endymion bitterly took to silence. It was not as if he could really argue. He did happen to be avoiding his soon-to-be kingship. He had spent his entire life both looking forward to and dreading the day the Earthly powers he had received through his blood would awaken fully and he would be crowned king. Having just recently celebrated his 20th birthday at the beginning of Ceresum two months prior, that day drew nearer and nearer. The chilling breath of responsibility crept up on him and even in the strong autumn sun, a shiver coursed down Endymion's spine. All he could do, for now, was avoid it; avoid it until he could deal with it.
"So," Zoisite's tired voice pierced Endymion's misty mind, "why are we searching for her in the first place?"
"Who?" Endymion was at a loss.
"…Lady Marganta," Zoisite answered after a pause.
"Isn't that obvious?" Helios pointed at Rini, asleep and riding piggy back on Endymion.
"What?" Zoisite asked, confused. Malachite and Helios, in turn, sighed heavily.
"For all those books you read, you can sometimes be incredibly dense." Before Zoisite bristled too much Malachite continued. "This child is from the future, or at least from what Endymion can tell. She somehow ended up here with us, which already begins to seem like too much of a coincidence to me. She happens to be a descendant of the Terran Royal family as well as a Lunarian Royal. We can either let her go on her way, alone, throughout Terra to surely be kidnapped or go hungry or, even worse, be discovered by an enemy who would just LOVE to prey on an unsuspecting powerful maiden. OR we can watch over her, train her, and help her. Hmm, really difficult choice there."
He shouldered past Helios to walk in front of him on the narrow section of the path. On both sides of them 20 foot box hedges framed the path, indicating the entrances to the two palace mazes. As they emerged from the tight passage, they entered the rose gardens, the pride and joy of the palace. Roses of all colors and designs grew, some standing in artistic positions, some winding up trellises to achieve shapes, even more growing over archways that provided shade along the path. Fountains like the one Rini had fallen in earlier during the search were scattered throughout to accent the simplistic beauty of a bed of roses.
"The sarcasm is unnecessary, Malachite. And anyway, have you even discussed this with the child?" Zoisite asked, annoyed at having to have things explained to him rather than doing the explaining.
"Her name is Rini, not 'the child', and no, I haven't yet. For now, she needs somewhere to sleep, even if just for tonight. Whatever method she used for travelling was physically gruelling -this is the second time she has gone out cold; she's too old to be taking two naps a day. Which is why I'm searching for Lady Marganta."
"Endymion, had the thought crossed your mind that maybe giving Rini her own room four stories up in the palace in a corridor she's never even seen might be a slight mistake?" The silver haired priest gave his prince an indeterminable look.
"…I don't think I'm following, Helios," Endymion said, stopping short on the path through the rose bush maze they were travelling on.
"Well, it's just a thought, but maybe putting her in an unfamiliar bed chamber might frighten her. I mean, what if YOU woke up in the middle of the night in there? Wouldn't you be scared, Endymion?" The little sub group congregated in the middle of the trail.
"I see what you're saying…but then what do you suggest I do?"
Helios, in response, shrugged.
"You could have her sleep in your chambers…" Malachite suggested thoughtfully. Zoisite looked horror-struck at the thought. "Mind OUT of the gutter, Zoi! She's FIVE!"
"Whoa, Malachite has a five year old girlfriend? When did this happen?" Jadeite and Nephrite happened upon the other five and joined the group. Their own quarrel seemed to be settled as both of them had sticky fruit juice on their cheeks and around their mouths.
"Did you guys miss the etiquette lesson about tidying up?" Zoisite muttered snidely, taking out a skilfully hidden book
"I'll forget you mentioned RINI being my girlfriend," Malachite answered through clenched teeth.
"Well sorry for living…" Jadeite responded sarcastically.
"So…" Nephrite began, glancing around the vicinity the others had stopped in. "What're we doing?"
"Deciding where Rini will sleep." Endymion said shortly, shifting the weight of the child on his back.
"Did you ask Lady Marganta?" Helios, Malachite, Endymion, and even Zoisite glanced up from his book and glared in response. "…Okay, from the all around internal grumbling, I'll take that as both a 'no and a 'we've moved on from that plan.' Would anyone like to offer to help me see the light?" Nephrite looked around.
"Basically, Rini's going to be sleeping in Endymion's chamber, with Endymion on the couch," Helios said indifferently after a moment. "We'll search for Lady Marganta some other day, after we explain things to Rini."
"Things?" Jadeite glanced around, no more in the light than a cave. "What things?"
"And who said I was giving up MY bed?!" Endymion asked. "Why not yours Master Problem Solver?!"
"She likes you better, Endymion," Helios answered simply, admiring a rose to his right. Endymion felt like strangling him.
"But I have meetings tomorrow!" Endymion turned to Zoisite in desperation. "Aren't you ALWAYS complaining about my tardiness? I'll be even later if I'm babysitting."
"Endymion, I fail to see how you can be later than showing up four hours after it's finished. Do not look to me for sympathy. Maybe if you sleep on the couch, or as the case may be do not sleep at all, you will actually make it in time to hear the closing address. At least you won't sleep all the way through it." Endymion mumbled death threats in Zoisite's general
direction. "Besides," Zoisite continued, consulting his schedule and ignoring Endymion's rising tones, "you don't have any meetings tomorrow. They were today. Although you do need to go over some things with me for the High Council meeting..."
"That's not for another week!" Endymion cried, sounding very much like a child. "Why must you always make me-"
"The new students have questions!" Nephrite and Jadeite were waving their hands around to get some attention. "Why in the Goddess's name is Rini sleeping with Endymion?!"
"…didn't we just go through this?" Malachite muttered tiredly, collapsing on a conveniently placed stone bench in the alcove opposite. "OW!" He leapt up. "I just sat on a ROSE! Who leaves a rose on a seat?!"
The other's ignored him. Malachite was always prone to bad luck outdoors. No one was quite sure why, though Endymion had a sneaky suspicion Helios had cursed him as well, though permanently. The way Helios sometimes guiltily looked the other way when Mal's luck galloped over him had also led Endymion to believe Helios had no idea how to lift this curse.
"Well, couldn't we just solve her little problem and send her home?" Nephrite voiced for himself and Jadeite.
"All in a day's work!" Jadeite concurred. The others looked at one another.
"Endymion, you explain." Zoisite joined Malachite on the bench.
"Why me? Why is it ALWAYS me?!"
"Because in this one instance, you actually know the most. And don't whine, you're sounding like Zoi."
"Hey," Zoisite glowered.
"Explanation. Now, please." Jadeite was interested.
"You know the gist of it. Rose confirmed she had Terran power, is not from this time era, and that she has no control over aShlin. And after I told her what happened with Luna's crest, she said, and I quote, "don't let her out of your sight." I took that as meaning we are keeping Rini, at least for a time. And no sooner did Rose say that then our delightful pink haired five year old blew up the LiKana board."
"Pardon?" Helios blinked a couple of times.
"Yeah, I think I missed that last bit…" Zoisite said, dropping his book onto the muddy path and not bothering to rescue it.
"She shattered all eight crystals," Endymion reiterated.
"WHAT?!" Malachite upturned the bench he and Zoisite had been sitting on. Luckily, Zoisite had jumped up along with him so he did not become a comrade to his book in the mud. "Oh Goddess…" Zoisite turned a sickly grey color. Helios, too, had lost all color from his face as well as the ability for speech.
"May the heavens protect us," Nephrite whispered to the sky.
"Um…guys, I know I should get his, but would anyone mind too terribly to review this for me?" Jadeite asked meekly. The other three garren, their Crown Prince, and High Priest goggled at the clueless man who stood before them. Everyone was now at a loss for words. "Sorry! I'm NEW at this!" Jadeite said to his defense as the others loomed over him.
"Guys, please, can we talk about this some other time?" Endymion asked, having the suspicious nagging feeling that he would be the one to explain everything to Jed. Brilliant fighter Jed was, but he was so oblivious about some of the most obvious and household objects…
"Why?" Helios helped Endymion after he regained some semblance of composure. "Dinner isn't for another 2 turns," he motioned towards the garden hourglass some feet away from them. "I would think 2 hours would be enough to give him a crash course, Endy."
"I actually have a couple reasons: 1) I don't want Rini to wake up to us talking about her, and 2) my back is KILLING me!"
Malachite glanced up at the sleeping child. "I'd say she's out of it, Endymion. Nothing can stir a child as sound asleep as she is except the prospect of an adventure, and I think that she's had enough of those for one day...I have found that any experience with Quartz qualifies as one. That's just this simple garren's opinion, however. In respect to your back," he grinned mischievously, "you could use the extra endurance."
Endymion moaned. "Fine, but let's at least go back inside. Standing in the middle of the walkway isn't exactly comfortable."
"You ARE as bad as Zoi," Jadeite said, almost in awe.
"I am oblivious to the humor in that," Zoisite said, storming ahead of the snickering Malachite.
- -
Endymion had always thought the palace more abandoned than teaming with interesting people. Why was it that he was always wrong at the worst times? He swore to himself as he lay Rini down gently on his own bed that if one more countess asked him who was his new fling, or one more nobleman asked him when the wedding was he would throw himself off his own balcony. His balcony overlooked the rose garden; it was bound to be a very thorny death.
The twenty year old prince sighed as an old vizier would if he were advising the Solar System's worst ruler in history. Stretching his aching back quietly, he looked without hesitation at the little girl. Asleep, she was the most adorable child he had ever beheld. This said a lot as he had been assigned to watch over his younger sister, younger sister's best friend, and even Serenity when she was still a child, all while they'd slept. He had to admit to himself that all four were close, but Rini in front of him, framed by sweet rose pink hair in a nest of midnight blue, qualified as angelic.
He wondered if she was anything like Destiny, the other angelic sleeper…or Serenity. They might LOOK like innocent angels but-
"Endymion, are you counting how many times she breathes or something?" Jadeite whispered harshly, impatience evident in his voice. Ignoring him for a moment, Endymion brushed a stray strand out of Rini's face and then exited his own dark bed chamber.
Endymion joined the entourage outside in the hall, purposely leaving the door open. If Rini were to wake up, he and the others would surely hear two rooms away. Everyone resumed their original seats in the study: Endymion on the sofa, Malachite leaning coolly up against the wall, Jadeite directly across from Endymion and watching him intently, as if the crown prince were going to sprout wings before his very eyes. Helios sat on the table, Nephrite and Zoisite at the table (although all three had to shove a pile of books out of the way to see the others). All of their eyes were watching Endymion, whose eyes were closed. After a moment, and no one had spoken a work, Endymion peeked out of one eye.
"What?" he asked nervously, sitting up. He hadn't done anything wrong had he? He mentally ran over the last couple of hours and came up blank. Then he remembered the LiKana board.
"Well?" Jadeite asked expectantly.
Endymion turned to Malachite. "Why do I have to explain this again?"
"Just do it," Malachite said, waving a hand.
"Strange…I'm the prince and yet I'm being ordered to do everything," Endymion grumbled, standing up and heading towards one of the mahogany armoires towards the far end of the study.
"You understand it the best," Nephrite said simply as Endymion scrambled through the large cupboard.
"Additionally you are the only one of use who can demonstrate how to USE the entire LiKana set," Helios added when Endymion returned with a circular board.
"What are you talking about Helios?! You have just as much experience with LiKana as
me!"
"Ah, but mine's too balanced to make a proper demonstration," Helios smiled slyly.
"You just want to sleep…" Endymion muttered as he set the round board down on the table in front of Jadeite and took his seat again.
"Okay!" Jadeite exclaimed looking over the unfamiliar set. "WHAT is this and WHAT does it do?"
"You've really never seen one of these?" Endymion asked, raising an eyebrow. "How EVER did your teachers control your powers? Well, on second thought…" Every eye in the room turned to a singed corner of the chair Jadeite sat in and shivered.
"Here goes nothing…" Endymion said, fearing this was going to be the most boring thing he'd ever been forced to explain. "This is a LiKana board," he gestured to the thing he'd set down on the table. The board itself was white marble, carved circular and smoothed. Seemingly floating a couple inches above the board were eight differently colored stones. Five, a green emerald, blue sapphire, lustrous pyrite, creamy pearl, and red ruby rested as the points of a pentagram, which was engraved below on the board. "These," Endymion gestured to the five, "are the Elementals. Each one channels a specific power." Endymion placed a hand first over the left stone of the pentagram's points, the pearl. In return, the stone lit up. "Wind." Endymion's hand flowed counter-clockwise to the right. The blue sapphire also began to glow. "Water." The hand then travelled next to that towards the ruby. "Fire." Moving to the pyrite, he spoke as it also lit up, "Metal. And lastly," the green gem at the top point of the pentagram grew bright without Endymion's hand. "Earth." With all five of the elemental stones sparkling brightly, Endymion looked up to Jadeite who was staring in awe at the bright colors like a small child.
"Now for the inner circle," Endymion began again, going back to the board. He motioned to the three stones that were inside the inner pentagon within the pentagram at the center, and on cue they rose higher than the outer stones and began to slowly circle. "Serenity." A silver tinted crystal lit up mildly. "Prosperity," a golden crystal brightened the room, shining equally as much as the Earth stone. "And lastly Destruction." The black obsidian stone, in response, seemed to suck the small bit of light out of Serenity, and prosperity dimmed to almost nothing.
"What was…" Jadeite looked up at Endymion, who withdrew his hand and the board returned to normal, or the state it began in.
"You can keep that going for as long as your powers hold out," Endymion said, sitting back, enjoying the startled look of awe on Jedite's face.
"Yes," Helios spoke up, jumping down from the table, "but only if you HAVE all those powers."
"What do you mean?" Jadeite looked thoroughly confused at this statement. Helios glanced over to Endymion again, who sighed and looked over at another garren.
"Zoisite?" Reluctantly, Zoisite set down what he'd been reading and drew nearer to the board.
"Now," Endymion continued in lecture format, "Zoisite is a Sorcerer of water, Master of wind. In other words, Zoisite has the highest ranking for his power with the element water, and the second highest with wind. The levels go Apprentice, Journeyman, Mage, Adept, Master, Sorcerer or Sorceress." Zoisite repeated the motions Endymion had made over the 5 pentagram jewels. However, in Zoisite's case, the sapphire lit up as exquisitely as emerald had for Endymion, the pearl shining second brightest. The other three stones, though, were only dimly lit. The center stones only rose but did not lighten at all.
"Um…" Jadeite's brow furrowed in thought.
"I, as a Sorcerer of water and a Master of wind, control to an extent their powers. However, Fire, Metal, and Earth are not in my blood. Because the elements are all linked, I can only subtly light the ruby, pyrite, and emerald stones. Enough to use spells with small influences from those elements, but not enough to be considered Apprentice level. The same goes to almost any person with magical talent. A rare few," Zoisite eyed Endymion, "have power enough to light them all. And only sovereigns have the power to light the internal circle. Well," Zoisite added after a moment's thought and an ehem from Helios's side of the room, "sovereigns and the higher Those who Serve." Helios gave a small mock bow from his position on the table, an amusing feat as he was still sitting.
"I understand the symbolism now, but what exactly does this board do?" Jed absently reached towards the board, but then snapped his fingers back with a guilty look on his face, wondering if he'd perhaps done something he wasn't supposed to.
"Go ahead." Endymion pushed the board a little closer to Jed as Zoisite returned to his seat at the table. He'd didn't, however, return to his book. "We already know what your main power is, but trying it'll give you an idea of how the LiKana works."
"So, um, what do I do?" Jadeite blushed slightly whilst asking this.
"Well, first you shouldn't expect anything to happen just yet. To properly use LiKana, you have to become the master of your own power. And by that I don't mean the Master rank, although that would help come to think of it..." Endymion looked towards Jadeite. The youngest member of the Garren looked at him a little fearfully. It was a little much, Endymion conceded, to ask him to absorb everything so quickly.
Nephrite approached the board, and Endymion sat back in order to allow the other room. "Jed, I know you learned the art of meditation." Jadeite nodded adamantly. "In the beginning, LiKana requires extensive meditation. You have to find your inner power, and learn to manipulate it to your will. But to begin, we must focus on that flame of your soul and just find the path to it each time with more speed. To use it, you must-"
"For now, Jed, let's keep it simple. Neph, would you like to teach our young Jed how to use LiKana himself? Whenever you two have a couple spare minutes?" Helios broke in, eying the clock anxiously.
"Sure," Nephrite gave Jed a rare smile of encouragement.
"Now," Endymion came back, realizing this was his cue to continue his lecture, "Jed, you wondered what exactly can be done with the LiKana?" Jadeite nodded, but before Endymion could open his mouth, Malachite came in.
"Many things. It reads your power from the string of fate tied to your finger. Most teachers use one to identify a pupil's gifts. In the beginning, as an untrained child, only your main power will light up. Later, as you're taught more about your specific gift, as well as about the threads and such, it can be used to see your potential powers as you branch out. Once you become skilled enough in multiple elements, the board can be used for mental or physical sparring, the stone of your choice giving you energy to fuel attacks. There are other uses of the LiKana, those are just the main ones."
"When Endymion first tested his powers, he nearly broke that specific LiKana board," Zoisite smirked. "He was allowed to keep it as a memento. Well, that and no one says no to the Crown Prince."
"Haha Zoi..."
"Wait...Endymion, you ALMOST broke it? But Rini DID break it?!" Realization struck Jadeite.
"Destruction of the LiKana board means a couple of things, or just one of a couple. A person can have destructive powers, but this only affects the board if you can reach the inner circle. Destroying the board means that not only can you access the center, but you can destroy it. In other words, you have enough power to overwhelm the board. On a scale type of example, having the ability to get to the inner circle signifies you political standing in our society. Everyone has a shadow of destructive power, even if it's not in their nature to use it. Power is corruptive, even if the user isn't. Destroying the LiKana board is destroying serenity and prosperity. You're destroying your society. In our case, our world."
"Then Rini-" Jadeite began wildly.
"Has an equal amount of power everywhere in the circle. She could prosper, cause serenity, or destruction. It could be a balance of all three. The destruction of the LiKana board was due to confusion in Rini. Which just pushes us to train her even more," Endymion said. "To help stop her gravitating towards destruction."
"How do you know it was a balance?" Nephrite spoke up from a worried silence.
"I don't really," Endymion admitted. "It's more of a hunch."
"Endymion," Malachite began, his voice escalating in pitch, "are you SURE you can-"
"Rose already agreed with me." Endymion stated. "Besides, she'll be the one to teach her."
"I don't-" Malachite began to argue but was interrupted by a scream. At first, no one moved a muscle.
"Rini!" Endymion finally said in realization.
Every one of them attempted to switch their brains into responsive motion. The Royal Garren, High Priest, and Crown Prince of Earth all rushed out of the study and two doors down to the child they were sure had just awakened.
- -
The next 4 chapters should be up within hours...as to the following ones, I'm not too sure!
Thank you for reading!
Moonlight Eternal