Love Across Time: Hidden Royalty

Chapter 2: The Faithful Sea

Disclaimer: I do not own Rayearth.

A gentle wind blew softly around Umi as she stood on Fuu's balcony. It reminded Umi of Fuu. She sighed sadly as tears filled her eyes; it had been a week since Fuu's death.

'Stupid Ferio,' she though vehemently, he was definitely on her black list. She would not do anything drastic to him, for Fuu's sake but that did not keep her from being uncivil with him.

'I can never forgive him. How can I? It is his fault she died' she turned back into the room angrily. Her expression saddened when her gaze rested on Fuu's bed.

'I will never forget that day. Never.' As she was just leaving when, she met Ferio at the door.

"Your majesty" she said tightly, trying to control a sudden flare of anger.

"Ugh…hello Umi" said Ferio moving quickly past her. She watched him move to Fuu's balcony and sit down in Fuu's favorite chair. Umi sighed and looked sadly at him.

'I should be nicer but…ugh it's so hard!' Umi headed down the hall not quite sure what she was going to do. 'Selece?' she called out with her mind.

'Yes Umi?' came the rune god's reply.

'Would you keep my company?'

'Where is Hikaru? Oh wait, she is with Lantis. Why did I even ask'

Umi smiled at Selece's sarcastic tone, as she headed out the place gates.

'So…where is lover boy?' questioned Selece, 'What is his name again?'

Umi laughed not letting Selece's barb bother her. The rune god had admitted to being jealous of the attention Umi and been giving to Eagle.

'Eagle is going to be meeting with Ferio in ten minutes' she said casually.

'Why?'

'Well, since Fahren and Chizeta have finalized their alliance with Cephiro, Eagle's father wants him to negotiate terms so that Autozam, can join officially as well.'

'Well the meeting will start late, the Prince is mourning the wind knights death.'

'I know, I saw him.' The two fell silent as Umi passed out the gates of the palace. 'Um…Selece?' Umi asked hesitantly.

'Yes Umi?'

'Would you join me for a walk to the river?'

'I would be honored' said Selece, and in a roar of water, the blue dragon appeared next to Umi. She smiled at the awestruck looks of the gate and wall guards. Selece noticed as well, and lifted his head a little higher with pride. Umi laughed at him, while in one fluid movement jumped into the air, and landing gently on his back. "Come on show off, why don't we fly?"

After flying around a little, Selece landed in the forest near the palace where the great river flowed through. Umi ran straight for the water but before she could reach it, Selece's huge tail circled twice around her.

"Selece!" Umi protested angrily. He silenced her with a warning look.

'Something is here.' As Umi listened she heard a loud crashing sound. Gently she tried to lift one of Selece's coils, so she could see. With an irritated snort Selece slowly lifted the top coil so she could look. Both remained completely quite as the sound came closer. Selece rose to his full size, while keeping his tail securely about Umi. Suddenly the maker of the sound appeared…a deer. Umi raised an eyebrow at Selece, who gave an undignified snort as he let her go.

"Well, I am going to go swimming" she announced with a smile. Selece nodded and as Umi swam he laid down on the riverbank, faithfully watching over her.

"Umi! Umi, where are you?" called Eagle, walking through the palace. He had just finished his negotiations, and now Autozam was on its way to be allied with Cephiro. He had left Clef and Ferio, who were talking about other issues, and was now in search for Umi. As he walked into the gardens he spotted Hikaru and Lantis. Thinking they might know where she would be, he headed over to them.

"Excuse me, but have either of you seen Umi?"

"No, I haven't" said Hikaru, "But I think she went to the river."

"Why don't you check with the gate and wall guards? They would have seen her if she left" suggested Lantis.

"Thank you, I will do that," said Eagle walking away.

"That's strange," said Umi, as she got out of the water.

Selece cocked his head to the side quizzically, "What is?"

"Well, I've been in the water for an hour at least, but my clothes and hair have dried almost as quickly, as I got out."

"Your element only wishes to please its' mistress" smiled Selece.

"Yes, she did come this way Sir" said a gate guard to Eagle. "And just as she passed by a huge dragon appeared beside her," added an awestruck guard. "It was amazing!" shouted down a tower guard. "She was not afraid at all. She just jumped up on his back and he flew around with her. I believe I saw them land in the forest. They have not returned as of yet."

"Thank you" smiled Eagle walking back inside. 'I'll just see her when she gets back. She and Selece need some quality time. Besides,' Eagle thought, 'I want to be on Selece's good side if…' his thought was interrupted as Geo and Zazu appeared, and interrogated him about the alliance.

Umi slowly opened her eyes. After her swim she had curled up next to Selece and had fallen asleep. As she looked about her, she found that Selece was sleeping as well. Slowly she go up and after jumping over the lowest part of his tail, which he had curled around them, she walked by the river. As she went along, she was careful to keep an eye on Selece, knowing it would make him very unhappy if he woke up, and could not see her. She stopped when she spotted what appeared to be a berry bush. As she looked closer she saw that the plant indeed did have black berries on it. Quickly she collected a handful of the big juicy berries, and after cleaning them, sat down by the river and ate them. 'These are delicious,' thought Umi as she collected more, and headed back to Selece. When she had finished the second handful, Umi suddenly felt very dizzy. Quickly she sat down. It passed after a moment and she moved on.

Selece quickly sat up, 'Umi?' He looked around; a horrible feeling had come over him while he was sleeping, causing him to wake up. Selece caught sight of Umi, walking by the bank. In less than a minute he was in front of her. "Are you all right? Nothing tried to harm you?"

"I'm fine Selece. I just went for a walk," Umi smiled patting his nose. The large dragon slowly nodded his head, dismissing his fears.

"We should head back it is almost dinner and you must be hungry since…Umi!" Selece reached out just in time to catch her as she fell to the ground in a dead faint. Quickly Selece opened his wings and with lighting speed returned to the palace, with Umi cradled in his claws.

' I'm so tired' thought Umi as she forced her heavy eyelids open. Looking around she saw that she was in her bed, with Hikaru sitting beside her wiping her forehead with a cool cloth. She was vaguely aware that Selece and Hikaru were talking but their voices were mumbled. She tried to move, but could only give a soft groan, as pain shot through her body.

Hikaru looked down on her friend with worry and fear. She felted even more panicked when Umi's eyes started to flutter shut.

"Keep her awake." Selece ordered as he disappeared.

"Hurry Selece" cried Hikaru. 'What is happening?' she thought as she wiped Umi's forehead, 'How could so much change within an instant.' She had just been passing the gardens when Selece had appeared before her. After a quick explanation of what had happened, she hurried to Umi's room, filling a bowl with water and grabbing a towel that sat near by. She had hoped that all her friend had, was a slight fever or sunstroke, but as the minutes passed, she knew that it could not be either. She told Selece that she would get the others, but Selece said he would go. She told him they were at dinner, she was not with them because, she had, had a late lunch as was not hungry. She had told Lantis that she would wait for Umi. Umi gave a soft groan, "Hurry Selece," Hikaru whispered.

The comfortable atmosphere of the dinning room was suddenly shattered, when Selece appeared, his voice full of urgency. "Hurry to the Magic Knight of Water, her life is in danger! She is in her room. Hurry before it is to late!" Immediately everyone ran to Umi's room, a sickening feeling settling in their stomachs. One thought was filling all their minds, 'It's happening again.'

"I'm so tired Hikaru," Umi whispered, "Please let me close my eyes. Just for a little bit."

"No Umi! You must stay awake. Selece told me specifically to keep you awake." Hikaru said firmly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as her eyes shut.

"Umi! Umi come on wake up. Don't leave me. Wake up!" cried Hikaru shaking her friend's shoulders.

Eagle came to an abrupt stop as he entered Umi's room. Hikaru was shaking the limp figure of Umi, begging her to wake up. Selece stood close by his huge head bowed, and big dragon tears falling from his eyes. Lantis, who was right behind Eagle, followed his friend to the bed. Silently Lantis pulled Hikaru into his arms as she cried. "I can't loose her" she sobbed.

Eagle gently picked Umi up and sat with her in his arms. "Umi," he whispered, as he wiped some stray hairs from her face, "Please Umi, don't leave us. Don't leave me."

"Clef can help her," said Lantis looking over to the master mage.

"No one can help her. Look." Everyone looked on in shock as Hikaru pulled the sheet away from beside Umi. Next to her laid her sword. "It's just like before," cried Hikaru, "It just appeared beside her."

"Clef please," begged Eagle, "Please heal her." The mage moved over to the bed, but after a few moments he looked up sadly.

"There is some kind of shield blocking my magic." Clef walked over to Umi's window and leaned heavily against it.

"What is that suppose to mean?" asked Eagle, his voice rising slightly.

" Eagle, I'm sorry. I can't stop whatever is doing this to her. She is dying."

"NO!" he shouted pulling her closer to him.

Darkness was pulling at Umi. She fought it as she felt Eagle's arms holding her; she wanted to speak to him. Suddenly, a mocking voice filled her ears,

" The fools. I all ready have the Wind Knight and now there is just one left after this one."

'I know that voice!' thought Umi. Fighting even harder she forced her eyes open, and found herself looking into Eagle's face.

"Umi!" Eagle cried out when her eyes opened. Tears were sliding from her eyes as she slowly reached up a hand to his face. "I love you," she whispered. Eagle fought back the thought that it sounded like she was saying good-bye.

"I love you too. With all my heart." Eagle leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Eagle," Umi suddenly gasped, "I know who did this to me." The words wouldn't come and the darkness started to pull on her again. "No" Umi struggled to keep her eyes open. "Hikaru…be careful…not dead…not dead!" Ribbons of water encircled her body, and Selece let out a roar of pain, that shook the room as she disappeared. Similar ribbons covered her sword, and began to rise around Selece. Both the sword and Selece disappeared.
"NO!" shouted Eagle as he slumped over on to the bed.

'I failed her' thought Selece, as he entered his shrine. He was about to return to his deep sleep, when he suddenly realized something. 'Umi knew who had hurt, no, who was killing her. She was trying to tell Hikaru before she disappeared. I must go to Windom. Two Knights are dead, within such a short time of each other. It cannot be a coincidence. If Windom and I go over everything that happened before they disappeared, perhaps we can figure out who is doing this. I'll warn Rayearth to keep an eye on Hikaru; it's more than likely she is the next target.' Before leaving his shrine Selece looked to the sea and made a vow. "I will find out who did this. I will not fail you again."

A/N: Nobody panic, the girls are not dead. Everyone is just suppose to think, that they are. So, who is doing this to the Magic Knights? Just keep reading and find out. Next chapter will be up soon.