Chapter Eighteen: A Request

A blue feather. It was used here on the island to the one you love. This particular feather is extremely hard to obtain because the bird it comes from is as blue as the sky and very hard to spot thanks to such excellent camouflage. Not to mention this bird liked to roost in very high places, such as the highest peak of Mount Garmon. Now this wouldn't be a real problem for me considering my uh… connections. But otherwise it was a rare feather. So now the Harvest King held the said feather in his palm.

I stared at the feather, blinking rapidly because I was sure I was hallucinating. It was almost comical how my eyes must have bugged out of my skull or the way my mouth fell open in disbelief. "That is a blue feather in your hand." I said dumbly. "Are you…?" I couldn't finish the question, daring to hope. "Am I giving it to you? I believe I am." He said calmly, prying my fingers open and setting the feather in my palm.

I ran my finger along the feather and smiled. "Harvest King I…" I felt the joy rising in me; I couldn't believe this was really happening! "Now you can propose." You know the sound a record player makes when stopped abruptly? That's the sound I heard as my head snapped up to look at his all too calm face. "What?" I asked sharply. "I thought it would cheer you up after your near death experience. Now you don't have to go through the trouble of finding a feather to propose with." He explained. "Harvest King!" I groaned while holding my face in my palm.

And to my utter astonishment, the Harvest King did something unbelievable. "You don't like it?" he asked while pouting. He was struggling to maintain his composure which only made him more flustered. This was a face I knew not even the Harvest Goddess had seen. I laughed and threw my arms around him. He leaned back awkwardly at the sudden contact and hesitantly rested his hands on my shoulders. "You are so adorable!" I squealed. He bristled at that. "Adorable?" he asked in outrage.

"Adorable?" I asked. I, the Almighty Harvest King, was being called adorable. I took the comment as a stab at my dignity as well as my ego. She pulled back and smiled warmly at the feather in her fingers. "Thank you Harvest King." I became transfixed by the way her eyes melted into a rich shade of chocolate. "It's just a feather." I said in an attempt to maintain some dignity. Hikari walked over and placed the feather on her bookshelf. "It may be just a feather, but it is a gift from you." She said and turned around to face me. "And that is what makes it special." She turned that warm smile on me. Damn this immortal heart of mine, I felt it swell with some fluffy emotion I couldn't name.

"From me?" I whispered. To my horror, I felt color rise to tint my cheeks in embarrassment. Her eyes widened and she stepped toward me. "Is that a blush I see?" she exclaimed. "No!" Damn, I spoke to quickly! "It so is!" She pounced on me and framed my face with both of her small hands. "Cute!" She said with a wicked flash of her teeth. This human dared call me cute and now she was teasing me. Two could play this game. For a moment the contact remained innocent, her gazing up me with that fluffy feeling I recognized in her eyes. Odd.

I then raised my hand to lace my longer fingers in hers. "Hikari." I whispered, turning the full force of my gaze on her. She flushed and looked away in embarrassment. And, much to my disappointment pulled her hands away. "Is that a blush I see?" I said while smiling in triumph. "Why you…!" She yelled angrily. I laughed and caught the small fist she aimed at me in my hand. "Cute and fiery." I laughed. She crossed her arms with a humph. "Don't you have rocks to stare at somewhere?" she huffed. "Only if you stare at them with me." I whispered. She reached for the nearest object but I vanished before she could throw it, laughing evilly as I went.

The mug in my hand remained at the ready but its intended target had disappeared. I slammed the mug angrily on the counter and filled it with more coffee. Stupid deity, I thought. I sipped the coffee. I still couldn't believe I was foolish enough the think that the Harvest King would actually propose to me. Both one of us had not even confessed to the other, and it's not like the Harvest King would have any reason to confess to me anyways. Loud banging came from upstairs. "Calm down I'm coming!" I yelled while setting my mug on the counter.

I still couldn't believe that she was gone. I didn't know how Hikari had fallen, but I knew it was my fault. I had been to bitter and angry to see the danger before us. When she fell and vanished under the water I had searched the river's banks for some trace of her. I spent all night searching the river's length for her but I didn't find anything. By the time I made it to the rivers end in Flute Fields I still hadn't found her. And now I walked up the path to her ranch, weighed down by guilt and grief.

I started when I saw light coming from her house. The light glowed brightly in the receding darkness of the coming dawn. I ran up to her door and flew into the house. There was a half empty mug on the counter and loud noises coming from upstairs. I opened the room to the barren second bedroom and stomped up the steps. There was Hikari, bent over a very large food bowl. "Hikari?" I yelled. It was her; she turned with a large Salmon in her hands. "Chase?" she asked in surprise. I ran toward her and flung my arms around her. Thank the Goddess, she was alive! I then felt pain flare between my legs.

I kneed Chase between the legs and he sank to his knees, clutching his uh… manly parts. I then pulled my arm back and punched his in the face. He fell to the ground doubled over in pain. "Get him." I said. A large grizzly bear stood over Chase, her teeth bared threateningly. "Why do you have a bear in your house?" Chase groaned out. I stood over him "Her name is Raem and she is my pet. She also doesn't like strangers." I said calmly. "Why did you hit me?" he asked. "Because I didn't know if you were going to go crazy like last night. I'll let you up as long as you stay sane." I said. Chase nodded and I motioned for the bear to move. Raem happily lumbered to my side and I stroked the fur on her back.

Chase stood slowly, cupping his face. "Did you have to hit so hard?" he asked. I shrugged. "What do you want?" I asked. "I thought you were dead." He replied. "I am quite alive I assure you." I said while dropping the Salmon in Raem's bowl. The bear happily tore into the meat. "Hikari I'm so sorry… I was just so jealous… I didn't think." I crossed my arms and stared at him coldly. "Of course you didn't, I'm lucky to be alive!" I yelled. He winced and stepped back. "I know there is nothing I can do to make you forgive me…" he rambled. "It was my fault." I replied.

Chase stared at me with sad violet eyes. "Bo had told me that the bridge was dangerous but I was too distracted to remember. If I had been careful none of this would have happened." "But I followed you…" Chase went on. I raised a hand to stop him. "We are both at fault Chase; most of the blame falls on me though. I was inconsiderate of your feeling and I didn't give you a proper explanation." I looked him straight in the eye. "So I'm going to give you one now. You are a good friend Chase, but that is all you will be to me. I will never love you that way and you know it."

Chase sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "That's all I needed to hear." He said. I nodded. "Truce?" I asked while offering my hand. He took it and held my hand firmly in his own. "Agreed." I smiled and returned to petting Raem. "So who is he?" Chase asked. "Do you want to be the next person to fall off a bridge?" I threatened. "Fair enough." Chase said with a shrug. He turned and headed down the stairs. "Hey Chase." I called. He stopped and looked up at me. "Tell Maya I said hi ok?" He frowned and scratched his head.

"Maya? Yes… I think I will." He waved and headed down the steps. I leaned heavily against the wall. I expected it to be much worse, but thankfully it wasn't too bad. With a sigh I headed down stairs and out of the house, dreading the chores that needed to be done. I busily passed fodder around the animals, which all gorged ravenously on the food. I brushed and greeted them all and set to work milking. My whole body was sore from the river, but as least nothing was broken. The Harvest King had saved my life; I owed him a great debt. Just peachy, now I owed him two favors.

My life was going crazy. I was in love with one deity, and the other would not allow a relationship to develop between us. I sealed the milk and placed it in the shipping bin. I don't know if it was the near death experience, but I didn't care what the Goddess wanted at this point. Once I finished my chores I headed to the Garmon Mines, taking the mine cart just to be safe. I walked across the stones that led to the Goddess Tree and the Harvest Goddess came into view. She was leaning against her tree with closed eyes, clutching Finn to her chest. Finn raised his small head and fluttered to me. "Hikari!" he cried.

I held Finn to me. "Sorry Finn." I muttered. The Sprite responded by sniffling into my shirt. I walked up to the Goddess, who still hadn't opened her eyes. "I came to tell you something." I said loudly. She slowly lifted her lids gaze at me blankly. "I love your brother, and I don't care if you approve. I am tired of always doing what is best for everyone else other than me." "Hikari you are mortal." The Goddess reminded me. "And I don't care. I love him." The Goddess pushed away from her tree and gazed down at me with sad eyes. "So you've decided." She whispered. "He is arrogant, prideful, a jerk, and a down right asshole." The Goddess's eyes widened in shock at the profanity the escaped my lips.

"But I love him. I don't know why, I just do. Whether or not he wants to return my feelings is entirely up to him." The Goddess looked up at the Mountain peak. "And if he doesn't return them?" she whispered. This is what it all came down to, once I said these words there was no going back. "If he rejects me, then I will give up on him." I said. The Goddess nodded once and looked down at me, a warm smile lighting her features. "I wish you the best of luck then."

I was still reminiscing about this morning's events when I felt Hikari's aura. She had used the portal and was now walking up the steps. I turned to see her climb the last step. She smiled warmly at me and walked closer. "You are still hurt, you should be home resting." I said. Hikari shrugged and stepped closer to me. "I have a request." She said. "And it would be?" I asked impatiently. "There is a festival that we humans celebrate every winter. It's the clearest night of the year and perfect for star gazing. This year there is going to be a meteor shower." She explained. "What does a human festival have to do with me?" I asked. "I'm getting to that. It's tradition to go with someone and eat lots of treats and watch the stars. I have no one to go with and I want to spend the festival with you." "I cannot leave this mountain top for an entire night." I protested. She clapped her hands together and smiled even wider. "That's ok; we would be able to see the stars better up here anyways. Come on, what do you say?" "I don't know…"

She sighed in disappointment and clasped her hands behind her back. "That's too bad; all the apple treats are going to go to waste." "Apple treats?" I asked, my interest piqued. She nodded. "Oh yes, lots and lots of apple treats. Like apple pie, ice cream, candy, juice…" she turned away and shrugged. "And all the apple cocktails." That was the kill blow. I felt my resolve falter, so many apples gone to waste… "That would be a shame to waste nature's bounty so. I suppose I could assist you in the eating of the treats as you so call it. When is this festival again?" She turned on me with excited eyes. "In two weeks!" She exclaimed.

"Why ask me so early then?" "Because I want to have enough time to prepare. Oh and Harvest king?" she asked. "Yes?" I asked in return. "I have something very important to tell you on that night." I raised an inquisitive red brow. "Why not tell me now?" She shook her head. "It's not the right time." She replied. Humans were so complicated. "Alright." I sighed in defeat. For the second time that day she threw her arms around me. "You won't regret it!" she whispered into my chest. She pulled away and ran down the steps. I scratched my head in confusion. Oh well, as long as she's happy.

Sorry if the chapter seems rushed I was having writers block, but the next chapter will be the one you all have been waiting for! I am so excited to write it and hopefully I can post it soon! Oh and since I was a bit rushed there might be a few typos, I will address them as soon as i am able to please overlook them. Review please ;D!